"People Helping People in Emergencies"
in McCurtain County since 1989
HAND TO HAND, INC.
HAWORTH FOOD PANTRY
We operate a food pantry, located in Haworth, Oklahoma. During calendar year 2017 we served 6435 individuals from 3400 families. We serve all of McCurtain County, with about 83% from the idabel. We provide each family enough food for 3 meals a day for 3 days x the number of people in the family. Due to limited food supplies, we are only able to provide food boxes once every 3 months per family. Clients are referred to us by Oklahoma DHS, local American Red Cross, local churches, home health care agencies, counseling centers, and educational facilities. Clients are required to present a referral form and 2 pieces of identification.
PROJECTS
FOOD TRUCK &
SENIOR BOXES
We serve as a monthly food distribution center for a food truck from the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. The food truck provides over 100 families with fresh produce, baked goods, and non-perishable food items. The items are unloaded, sorted and distributed via a "drive-through" set-up.
Starting in May, 2018, we began distributing monthly Senior Food Boxes via the CSFP program. Currently we are serving 79 seniors citizens monthly (who meet age and income guidelines). Each person receives about 30 lbs. of non-perishable food, along with a block of cheese. We have an additional 15 seniors on a "waiting list" to participate in the program.
PARTNERSHIPS
(COLLECTION & DISTRIBUTION)
We pick up food donations several times a week from Idabel Walmart, which would have otherwise been discarded. Food items that we cannot use in the Food Pantry (such as perishable items which must be used quickly before the expiration date) are shared and distributed locally to several other agencies who help meet the needs of the elderly, homeless and needy of McCurtain County. During the past year, we partnered with the following entities: Immanual Baptist Church of Idabel, which operates a small food pantry and provides a weekly meal for the homeless and elderly; Garden Walk Apartments of Idabel (summer meals for students and backpack meals during the school year. We collect chicken donations from Tyson Foods several times and year and share with county senior nutrition centers (Idabel, Haworth, Tom, Valliant and Eagletown) and with Gracefully Yours Food Pantry in Broken Bow and the Immanual Baptist Church Food Pantry in Idabel.