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Volunteering at H-E-B\u2019s Feast of Sharing event at Dickies Arena was a chance for Vanessa Enriquez to do more than just provide food for thousands of people in need.<\/p>\n
She was one of more than 1,300 volunteers at the Wednesday feast, the 13th annual event for Fort Worth. More than 40 social service agencies, such as Texas Health Resources, were on hand to provide information to the expected 10,000 attendees.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Enriquez, who works with the Wellness for Life mobile health clinic at Texas Health Resources, was able to get the message out about the resources available to underserved communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMany people say they don\u2019t have insurance or whatever, but we have grants and other services available to get them mammograms, cancer screenings and other testing,\u201d she said. \u201cAlso, we can come to you and many people don\u2019t know that.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Enriquez previously volunteered at the feast several years ago and said she was glad to be back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a great chance to find the people that need these services,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Feast of Sharing features a Texas-style holiday meal alongside a festive celebration complete with a kids zone, live entertainment, health and family services, and a visit from Santa Claus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since 1989, Central Market\u2019s parent company, H-E-B, has held the Feast of Sharing events in more than 34 cities in Texas and Mexico, regularly serving more than 340,000 meals.<\/p>\n
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said she was proud of Fort Worth and Tarrant County residents for volunteering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Parker said she hopes more people are aware of food insecurity in the community after Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits were cut during the recent federal government shutdown.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s answer those core questions,\u201d she said. \u201cHow do we make sure more families have the stability they need just to put food on the table?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Austin Jourde, Central Market general manager for Fort Worth, said previous Feast of Sharing events across the state this year have seen increased attendance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had our first couple of events this year down in the Valley, the border region, and those events have been up 25% to 30%, so we expect ours will be up, too,\u201d he said. \u201cI think last year we served 7,500 meals. We were planning for 9,000, but we can handle north of 10,000 this year and I think that will be about right.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The event included a new addition: volunteers provided coats for those who need them, Jourde said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThese services, they\u2019re vital,\u201d he said. \u201cThe need is definitely there.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bob Francis, business editor for the Fort Worth Report, can be reached at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.H-E-B has been a financial supporter of the Fort Worth Report. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy her<\/a><\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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