Nonprofit organizations in Denton County will soon have help in feeding the hungry.
New nonprofit Serve Denton is teaming up with the North Texas Food Bank to create the first food distribution center in the county. The center is expected to cut costs and feed more people.
"Instead of nonprofits going to Dallas to get food, North Texas Food Bank will send a truck once week or every two weeks, and then, they [nonprofit groups] can come here and pick up food," said Pat Smith, Serve Denton secretary. "It's a huge savings in time and cost in terms of fuel."
Smith said the travel is a waste of resources.
"We have 26 food pantries in Denton, and they are all going to Dallas or Fort Worth to pick up food every week or every two weeks," Smith said.
City leaders and Serve Denton said they want to tackle the growing problem of hunger in their backyard.
"This desperation is occurring right down the street," Mayor Mark Burroughs said. "A new study shows that there are 90,000 people in this county that have food insecurity, which means they don't know where their next meal comes from."
