Share on LinkedIn

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - Nacogdoches Hope Food Pantry celebrated all 30 years of fighting food insecurity in the community.

“I can’t imagine not having Nacogdoches HOPE. It was started many many years ago and it has grown beyond anything we could have imagined,” Patti Delamar, a volunteer who worked with the organization when it first started, said.

They feel their efforts to feed their neighbors are worth celebrating.

“We’re celebrating all our successes, all of our volunteers, all of our people who donate money, and food and time to us. So, it’s just a celebration of what we do,” Deidra Harrison, the pantry’s board president, said.

The pantry started in the 1990′s with churches and community members working to provide food for those who needed it. But their 30 years of service didn’t come without problems.

“We struggled with having electricity and having our air conditioners stolen one time off of our roof, so we were always struggling. So because people started donating their time and resources, we were now able to have this fantastic building here,” Delamar said.

People with connections to the organization, including community members, were invited out. Light refreshments, resources for the community and bowls for sale from the Nacogdoches High School Art Department were offered. The bowls were part of a fundraiser the school the department had, giving Nacogdoches Hope half of the proceeds. The celebration was also a reminder of why they are there - for individuals and families who need their help.

“It’s giving them hope so they can focus on other things so it’s important to us to treat them with dignity and respect and they do us the same. There are family; we look forward to seeing them every week,” Harrison said.