What Impact Does the West Texas Food Bank Have in West Texas?

The West Texas Food Bank (WTFB) reports distributing 13 million pounds of food across 19 counties of West Texas, including 4.2 million pounds of fresh produce, and serving 84,732 individuals through its network of partners and pantries. Those figures describe the scale of the organization's reach; the sections below break down what each one means and how the food bank operates to achieve them.

The Numbers Behind the Impact

The 19-county footprint includes Brewster and Pecos counties, which the food bank notes are the two largest counties in the state by area. That geographic spread matters: in a region this large, reaching people depends on a distributed network rather than a single distribution point.

How the Impact Is Achieved

The WTFB describes its mission as collecting, purchasing, and distributing food to feed the hungry across its 19-county service area in partnership with volunteers and community organizations. It also states a goal of educating those partners and the public about "the real face of hunger."

That partnership model explains why the individual and poundage figures are attributed to a "network of partners and pantries" rather than to direct distribution alone. The food bank supplies the network; the network reaches the households.

The organization also states it continually works to improve the quality, quantity, and variety of the food it offers — which is consistent with the 4.2 million pounds of fresh produce reported within the total.

Ways the Public Participates

The food bank's site organizes public involvement around three actions:

• Volunteer your time — opportunities at the Odessa or Midland facilities.
• Host a food drive — both traditional and virtual options are offered.
• Get help — request information about local programs for you and your family.

For anyone weighing whether to get involved, the practical starting point is contacting the team directly to ask about volunteer opportunities at either facility or about hosting a drive. The site also lists upcoming events, which is another entry point for one-time participation.

What These Figures Do and Don't Tell You

The reported totals are useful for understanding the food bank's scale and the breadth of its service area. They are aggregate figures, so they don't indicate how need is distributed across the 19 counties, how many distinct households the 84,732 individuals represent, or what share of local need is met. If you're looking for help in a specific county, or want to volunteer at a specific location, the next step is to contact the food bank or check its upcoming events rather than rely on the totals alone.