"Things stayed shut down even when the roads were clear," said president & CEO Brian Greene. "We knew there would be a lockdown period, but it was longer than what we're used to."
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Beginning last Sunday, a selection of staff at the Houston Food Bank rode out the storm at their headquarters in East Houston. They got supplies ready, made donations to warming centers, and worked towards making mass distributions possible.
"Once we got all the information from the newscasts, we got the team together," said Kedrick Thorn, associate director of facilities and food safety at Houston Food Bank. "The (current) team is picking up where we stopped."
The Houston Food Bank began reaccepting volunteers yesterday, and said today's work constituted a "high-volume workday." Greene says 40 loads of food will be sent to their partners around the region, but they still need some help.
"A big challenge is making sure every shift is staffed with volunteers to the maximum," said Greene.
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In addition to volunteers, the food bank also needs monetary donations. Greene says the Houston Food Bank receives much of their items through surplus, and monetary donations allow them to buy more products for a smaller cost.
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One way to donate to the non-profit, which is the largest food bank in the country by distribution numbers, is to text "ABC13" to 41444. You can make a donation of any amount, and $1 provides three meals to Houstonians in need.
For more information on helping the Houston Food Bank, including volunteering opportunities, visit HoustonFoodBank.org.