LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) – More than 18,000 people in Angelina County are food insecure, according to Feeding America, and local food pantries say that number is only expected to grow.
The Christian Information and Service Center (CISC) has served Angelina County for 45 years, distributing close to a million pounds of food annually to around 6,000 families a month. Director Yulonda Richard, who has led the nonprofit for 16 years, said the need is rising – and so is the cost of meeting it.
“The cost of food is going up across the board,” Richard said. “It’s not only going up for other people, it’s going up for food pantries, and the resources are not there.”
Feeding America estimates the average meal in Angelina County costs $3.34. CISC provides food free of charge to qualifying residents, but as grocery prices climb, so does the strain on the nonprofit’s budget.
A rising need
Richard said CISC has recently seen former clients return after four or five years away, along with new faces who show clear discomfort in asking for help for the first time.
“We have seen people that – return clients that we hadn’t seen in like four or five years,” Richard said. “They’re starting to come. People that have never come here before, and you know from their demeanor that they’ve never had to ask for help.”
Volunteer Jackson Boles, who has served at CISC for three years, has seen the shift firsthand.
“With a lot of the SNAP benefits and stuff being cut, we’ve seen a lot more people, we’ve seen a lot more influx of people coming through and unfortunately needing our services,” Boles said.
Boles said the work is personal for him.
“I enjoy it 100% because I come from a background where a lot of these people come from too,” Boles said. “So kind of having that insight really gives me a thrill to be able to give back to that.”
Behind the scenes
Despite serving thousands of families each month, CISC operates with just three paid staff members.
One employee alone runs the organization’s retail recovery program – picking up donated food from Sam’s Club and Walmart three times a week, and has helped collect more than 4 million pounds of food since the program began.
That same staffer also unloads a delivery truck every Wednesday and drives biweekly deliveries to homebound seniors and veterans through the center’s Helping Hands program.
“So those three employees are vital,” Richard said. “But, definitely you can’t serve that many people with three people. Our heart are the volunteers. We couldn’t do it without them.”
On a typical day, Boles said CISC serves dozens of families – 57 people came through on one recent Friday alone, which he described as a slower-than-average day. Mondays through Wednesdays tend to be the busiest.
Clients can receive between $75 and $100 worth of food per visit, once a week, and CISC is open five days a week, giving families multiple chances to get assistance.
To qualify, residents must fill out a demographic income form based on USDA income guidelines. Richard said very few applicants are turned away for exceeding the income limits -and those who are get referred to other local resources.
A first-of-its-kind fundraiser
To help offset rising costs, Richard organized CISC’s first-ever fundraiser: a family-friendly comedy show featuring comedian Marcus D. Wiley, an Angelina College alumni, held Sept. 13 at the Pitser Garrison Convention Center.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with the show starting at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50 each. “Jammin’ Jimmy” Olson of JJO Radio will host the event.
Richard said she came up with the idea after watching a video of Wiley online and learning about his ties to the local college.
“I just called. I sent out an email and got the ball rolling,” Richard said, adding that Olson’s personal connection to Wiley helped make the event happen.
Richard said she hopes the comedy show becomes an annual tradition if the community responds well.
How to help
CISC welcomes volunteers and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Address: 501 S Angelina St, Lufkin, TX 75904
Phone: (936) 634-2857
Residents interested in applying for assistance can also visit during those hours to complete a USDA-based income eligibility form.
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