Chamber welcomes WF Food Bank

Representatives from the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank visited the Olney Chamber of Commerce’s monthly luncheon on April 10 at the Young County-Olney Senior Cub Center to update members on how recent federal budget cuts could impact local food assistance programs.

Julie Nawrocki, the food bank’s director of philanthropy, and Andrew Wolf, director of grants, explained that the nonprofit distributes food across 12 counties through more than 90 community partners — including the Senior Cub Center, First United Methodist Church, and Ministry of Helps in Olney.

Ms. Nawrocki said that Young County has a higher food insecurity rate than both the state and national averages, with many residents lacking consistent access to three meals a day.

Cuts to the USDA budget have already resulted in four fewer truckloads of food for the food bank between now and September, she said.

However, Ms. Nawrocki reassured attendees that the food bank is working hard to fill the gap by strengthening partnerships with retailers like Walmart and Dollar General to boost food donations. “We are committed as always to serving and will continue to find a way of doing that,” she said.

Mr. Wolf added that 26 percent of the food bank’s inventory comes from government sources, with the rest purchased or donated.

He emphasized that the organization is shifting away from reliance on government aid and increasing private food sourcing efforts to maintain services.

In 2024 alone, the food bank distributed 46,000 pounds of food valued at nearly $90,000 to Olney’s Ministry of Helps. Across Young County, the investment totaled nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

The presentation ended with a powerful story from Ron Kitchens, Wichita Falls Chamber president, about receiving food aid as a child. Ms. Nawrocki encouraged attendees to volunteer, donate, and advocate for their hungry neighbors.