The Concho Valley Regional Food Bank announced they would be using a new logo as part of a campaign to refresh the organization’s brand identity following the transition to being an independent food bank.
“We’ve always been your local food bank,” said Brent Jenkins, Executive Director in a press release. “But with our new brand, we’re showing that more clearly than ever. We’re rooted right here in the Concho Valley—and we’re here for our neighbors, always.”
Food Bank History
The public first learned about a new planned Food Bank on May 5, 1983, when the San Angelo newspaper reported that Tom Green County United Way officials hoped to have a preliminary food bank operation up-and-running by January.
Their plan?
The food bank would collect surplus food from local grocery stores and produce markets into a central warehouse, and share the food with local agencies that had food-service programs for low-income residents.
A big part of the main idea was the fact that retailers were throwing away dented cans and damaged packages, along with surplus produce.
Food Bank volunteers would be trained by the Health Department to separate the good from the bad, and the only cost would be transportation.
Pretty good plan, right?
Well, as it turns out; it was a pretty good plan.
They already had the warehouse facilities secured, including donated refrigeration and freezer units.
Local retailers really got behind the idea, and the fledgling program enjoyed instant success.
The San Angelo program was based on similar models in San Antonio and Amarillo that met with success.
United Way Executive Director Marion McKinney said they had been “kicking the idea of a food bank around for some time.”
When the initial groundwork began in early 1983, things just took off.
In no time, about 10 social-service agencies were lined up to participate.
“We would like this to be a community project,” McKinney added.
Second Harvest
That article also mentioned the Second Harvest Food Banks, which had been established in 1979 as a network of 18 food banks, based on a program originally established in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1967.
That organization became Feeding America in 2008.
The Concho Valley Regional Food Bank became an independent entity in April 2024, no longer affiliated with Feeding America.
The CVRFB hopes people who care about this issue will continue to favor them with donations, and representatives want the public to know they believe the changes are enabling them to do better for the people they serve.
“Our logo tells a story,” Jenkins went on to say, “Every box of food is filled with care. Every connection with a neighbor matters.
“This brand is a reflection of the work we’ve always done, and the vision we’re building toward.”
Inside the Operation
Last week, Outreach & Development Director Sarah Eckel gave The Concho Observer a tour of the facilities, taking a little time to talk about their operations.
Beginning in a back room of the main building, Eckel showed us a wide assortment of non-food items they had recently received, which included art supplies, books and shoes, and she explained that they can’t really predict what they will receive in this department.
The main building also holds the administrative offices, and large conference rooms where classes and meetings are held.
She said they keep a small pantry for necessities on site, so if anyone comes in they have some things to help them, and then they work to get them in touch with the agency that can best help them further.
“One of the reasons we keep these things is because SNAP doesn’t cover them, and people have a hard time getting things they need, like toilet paper, or diapers.
“But we try to keep a assortment of things so we can respond to our neighbors immediately, and in addition to helping with food insecurity, we try to help with other household needs.”
The Warehouse
Toward the back of the lot, the warehouse is situated to receive deliveries, which are sorted inside.
“We’re doing a warehouse renovation,” Eckel said. “This warehouse was donated to the food bank in the 80s by A&B, and one of the issues we had was that we didn’t have the capacity to store truckloads of frozen and cold products, and we hope to be wrapping that up soon, and we will have our first load of donated product in here in a couple of weeks.”
Inside, a wide assortment of food waited on pallets. Cans of beans, and boxed macaroni and cheese, that will be shifted by forklift to the sorting areas.
Eckel also said that since the warehouse is situated on an unused rail line, they are working to make that space usable.
The Need for Independence
Eckel talked about how being an independent entity is changing things for the better.
“We broke with Feeding America, and the main reason we did that is because we’ve been serving this area since 1983, and these are our neighbors and our friends, and we don’t think a one-size-fits-all solution to hunger is what’s best for us.
“We have taken this opportunity to really step up our game, and what we do, and we are working within our communities to identify solutions by working closely with folks.”
She said that while the break means they no longer have access to the same network resources, there is an independent network they can take advantage of.
“All of these groups in this network are deeply committed to hunger relief, and we have been able to identify new partners, and we are working to build that up,” she said.
She allowed that another issue they have struggled with is finding off-brand goods that are of a high-enough quality.
“That is one of the issues we have really worked toward, and we have identified new vendors who offer better products.
“We are in a donation situation,” she said, “so we don’t always get to pick-and-choose what comes in; if it’s good, we try to do the best thing we can with it.
“I think where we come down on it, is, when we are buying products, we want to get a good value for our donated dollars, but we also want to be respectful of our neighbors that we’re serving, too.
“We don’t want people to feel bad about needing food, and we want to be able to hand them something good.
“So, we’ve worked to develop new vendors and opportunities that allow us to use donor dollars responsibly, but provide better products.”
Eckel said they have revamped their entire snack pack program this year to include all name-brand products.
She said there is a very real stigma attached to brands people have never seen, despite the fact that many of them are perfectly good, adding that it would be a big step forward if we could help crush the stigma of needing help in this country.
“Food insecurity gets in the way of everything,” she said. “When you’re hungry or not sure what you are going to feed your family tonight, its hard to think about paying the rent, or getting a job.
“Hungry children have difficulty paying attention and learning.
“When you’re hungry, all you can think about is more food.”
By The Numbers
Serving the traditional 13-county Concho Valley, the Region Food Bank:
- Partners with 100+ food distribution and feeding sites
- Distributes more than 1,400 food bags to children each week
- Offers emergency food boxes outside of regular hours
- Provides home delivery for those who need it
- Hosts monthly mobile distributions in high-need areas
- Supports rural pantries with fresh produce and frozen protein
Join In!
The organization also presented new mission and vision statements to accompany their new look.
Mission: To feed our neighbors by removing barriers, meeting people where they are, and providing meaningful, people-first solutions that fight hunger across the Concho Valley.
Vision: A Concho Valley where no one goes to bed hungry, and every person has the food and nourishment they need to thrive.
Officials say as the CVRFB continues to grow they hope people who care about ending hunger will join them in their mission.
Visit their new website by clicking here.
Editor’s note: Feeding America maintains a local presence through the San Antonio Food Bank, which provides assistance to people in Tom Green, Concho, Irion and Sterling counties.
