Hunger doesn't take a summer vacation
Dallas, Texas — Hunger doesn’t take a summer vacation and neither does compassion. That’s why Medical City Healthcare colleagues in North Texas and Louisiana united for the sixth annual “Healthy Food for Healthier Tomorrows” food drive and sculpture contest, providing more than 158,000 meals to families facing food insecurity.
Through generous donations and creative fundraising, colleagues helped collect and fund the purchase of 18,000 pounds of nonperishable food and pledged $7,000 to support 17 food banks and pantries across North Texas and Louisiana with the help of matching donations through the HCA Healthcare Foundation. Medical City Healthcare and the HCA Healthcare Foundation are also donating $40,000 to the beneficiaries of the winning facility food sculptures for a total contribution of $47,000.
“This initiative shows how powerful partnerships can be when we come together to nourish not only bodies, but lives — well beyond our hospital walls,” says Allen Harrison, president of Medical City Healthcare. “Across our system of care, collaborating to address food insecurity is part of our mission to care for and improve human life.”
The food drive was part of a fun competition to craft sculptures from the donated cans and boxes of food with the theme “Summer Doesn’t Take a Summer Vacation.” Each hospital entry earned a cash grant for its selected food bank beneficiary.
Beneficiaries of food donations and cash grants include the following in North Texas and Louisiana:
- Christ’s Haven for Children
- Christian Community Action
- Community Enrichment Center
- Community Food Pantry of McKinney
- Community Link / Saginaw
- Denton Community Food Center
- 5 Loaves Food Pantry
- Food Bank of Central Louisiana
- Frisco Family Services
- Irving Cares
- Minnie’s Food Pantry
- Mission Arlington
- North Texas Food Bank
- Parker County Center of Hope
- The Stewpot
- Tarrant Area Food Bank
- Wise Area Relief Mission
The food drive complements Medical City Healthcare’s award-winning kids teaching kids® Healthy Lifestyles program, offering children and families nutrition education and resources to make choices that promote lifelong wellness.