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As I sit down this morning to write this message, one thing keeps crossing my mind—I’m hungry! I can’t quite remember if I skipped breakfast (a habit I’m trying to break), but I think I grabbed a protein shake on the way out the door. Either way, my hunger makes me start thinking about tonight’s dinner plans too. Should I cook tonight, or are we eating out? Can you relate to wandering thoughts of food like I do?
But here's the truth: I don’t know what it means to be truly hungry. Sure, I get busy and occasionally forget to eat, but I rarely miss a meal. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for many of our neighbors. They aren’t worrying about whether to cook at home or go out for dinner. They are worried if they have enough food or have money for groceries to feed their children.
In North Texas, hunger is a painful reality. You’ve heard that according to the local food bank statistics, one in five children in our region experiences food insecurity. That’s 20% of kids who aren’t sure where their next meal is coming from. Across North Texas, 14.2% of the total population is food insecure. In fact, a 2024 Feeding America study reports that Texas leads the nation in food insecurity.
It’s heartbreaking. I’ve seen it firsthand in the eyes of parents walking into our ACO Food Pantry, desperate to feed their children. But I’ve also seen the overwhelming gratitude on their face when they leave with full bags of groceries—and hope. Hundreds of local families visit our pantry each week.
In fact, as I got out of my car this morning at ACO a new food pantry client yelled "Marjorie!" and came over to hug me. Last time I saw him he wasn't looking well. He'd lost a lot of weight and told me he was just depressed. Today he looked great, said he'd gained weight since his first trip to the pantry and was feeling better. He'd been in the office to get help with job applications and was headed to the pantry for groceries. That hug and smile on his face is why I come to work!
Recently, our current Missions Officer and former Food Pantry Manager, Michelle Clough, shared a photo with me of the ribbon cutting of our pantry back in 2012. We had just received a new refrigerated truck and were expanding our services to include fresh produce, dairy, meats, and even gluten-free and health-focused foods. That was 12 years ago. We talked about how far we have come—but so has the need.
Out of curiosity, I looked into how much food we’ve distributed in recent years. Since 2021—just past the peak of the pandemic—we’ve given out over $11.9 million in food. That’s not just a number. That’s real impact in Allen, McKinney, Plano, and all across Collin County. It’s life changing. Without it, how many families would go without food? How many children?
So, why am I talking so much about hunger today? Yes, partly because I’m thinking about my own breakfast and it’s now almost lunchtime —but also because we’re quickly approaching summer break. For many local students, school meals are their most consistent source of nutrition for breakfast and lunch. But what happens when school is out?
Thanks to generous donors like you, ACO provides special summer boxes filled with kid-friendly, nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snack items. Families are provided with these in addition to the regular monthly groceries they receive at the pantry. Our ACO Summer Kids Food Program has been helping for years—but the need is growing, and the cost to supply this food is in the thousands. Your donations—whether food or funds—make this possible.
One more thing... hunger isn’t just about an empty stomach. It’s about being able to focus in class, having the energy to play, staying healthy, and feeling hopeful. At ACO, we work hard to ensure every family we serve receives more than just groceries—they receive care, compassion, and dignity. It may be hard to walk into a food pantry, but ACO’s friendly staff and volunteers are helpful and mindful of our client’s needs.
For many, these are uncertain times. Jobs are fragile, and living costs are rising. Others are still recovering from long-term hardship. But here’s what I know: Collin County is a community that cares. And because of you, ACO is able to be here for families who need us.
Thank you for standing with us—and for making sure no child goes hungry this summer, and no parent faces an empty pantry at dinnertime. I hope that you will choose to support ALL COMMUNITY OUTREACH this summer with a gift to help feed local families. This year celebrates 40 years of All Community Outreach serving families in need- 1985-2025. I will tell you more about our past 40 years in the June email message.
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