The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) has been awarded a $3 million multi-year grant from the Albertsons and Tom Thumb Foundation to support the food bank’s new strategic initiative, Fulfilling Futures. This grant is part of the Foundation’s Nourishing Neighbors Innovation Spark Grant program, which recognizes nonprofits that develop innovative programs aimed at creating long-term solutions for food insecurity and empowering individuals and families toward lasting food security. The Nourishing Neighbors program is a charitable effort by Albertsons Companies and the Tom Thumb Foundation focused on helping communities overcome hunger.
Fulfilling Futures is a five-year plan by NTFB focused on providing meals and improving the long-term well-being of individuals across North Texas. The strategy includes expanding partnerships, investing in wrap-around services, and working to close the meal gap in the region. The grant will fund the Hope for Tomorrow program, which supports NTFB’s partner agencies in offering services beyond food, such as job training, healthcare access, and financial coaching to help families build more secure futures.
Wes Jackson, President of Albertsons’ Southern Division, emphasized the commitment to ending hunger by funding programs that foster self-reliance and long-term stability in communities. Albertsons and Tom Thumb have been supporting NTFB for over 40 years through food donations, financial contributions, event sponsorships, and employee volunteering. Their Recipe for Change initiative has donated millions of pounds of food annually, with nearly 2.5 million pounds contributed last year alone. Since 2021, the Southern Division has more than doubled its food donations to the food bank.
Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank, highlighted the significance of this grant, noting that the ongoing partnership enables NTFB to go beyond immediate food aid and help families develop stronger, more secure futures. The need in North Texas remains critical, with over 774,000 people facing food insecurity, including one in five children. Across Texas, nearly 5.4 million residents are food insecure, with Dallas-Fort Worth ranking highest among Texas metro areas and third nationally in hunger levels.
