Your trusted source for community news
Before noon every other Wednesday, the large white truck with the Metrocrest Services logo splashed across the sides of the trailer pulls into the parking lot of First Baptist Farmers Branch.
Metrocrest Services’ partnership with the North Texas Food Bank allows for the food pantry on Josey Lane to become mobile and accessible at partnered churches and schools.
With a dedicated pool of volunteers that seek impactful action, Metrocrest Services has distributed 59,752 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables in the Farmers Branch and Carrollton communities, providing a path to independence for those in need.
The Mobile Food Pantry helps “reach people who cannot reach us and to act as an introduction to the services we provide to help people on their personalized path to self-sufficiency,” said Casen McMahan, director of nutritional programs at Metrocrest Services. The goal of the mobile food pantry is “to meet families where they are … in a place families feel comfortable.”
The Metrocrest Services food pantry has a physical location at their homebase at 1145 N. Josey Lane; however, the mobile food pantry operates throughout Farmers Branch and Carrollton with the help of Metrocrest Services staff and community volunteers.
“The mobile food pantry could not operate without our fantastic network of volunteers,” McMahan said. He said current volunteer groups include local Lions Club chapters, Atmos Energy, the Carrollton Senior Center, First Baptist Farmers Branch, Christ United Methodist Church of Farmers Branch, CFBISD and the North Texas Food Bank.
One volunteer, Jeckie Erceg, spearheaded the First Baptist Farmers Branch’s food pantry two years ago, which has grown, after partnering with the Metrocrest Services.
“I thought it would be a good idea to work with the people from the community,” said Erceg. “Most food pantries give, but they don’t have a relationship with people.”
First Baptist hosts a food pantry event each Wednesday, but Metrocrest Services comes alongside First Baptist every other Wednesday and provides mainly produce, Erceg said.
The church uses the donated food in their own pantry, such as baby formula, canned food, and more produce items, to build relationships with the people who visit.
“If I cannot help, maybe I can point them to find help,” said Erceg, “‘love your neighbor.’”
The Metrocrest Services mobile food pantry enables volunteers like Erceg, to have a greater effect on the lives of those who use the opportunity to visit the food pantry events by providing greater assistance and access to food for their families.
“In less than a year of the program, we’ve had 2,134 visits to the mobile food pantry and distributed 59,752 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables,” said McMahan.
The mobile food pantry program includes “back-to-school events and city events where people in need of our services would have the opportunity to learn about the agency and receive fresh fruits and vegetables,” said McMahan.
“The mobile food pantry removes barriers to food access,” said McMahan. “Barriers include transportation, funds for transportation, and lack of information on where to go for help.”
The pantry driver, Jojo Everett, who has been working in the food pantry at Metrocrest Services for the last seven years is always excited to drive the large pantry-on-wheels.
“Some people cannot afford their meal on the table,” said Everett. “Our pantry really helps a lot with surviving everyday life … I see people lining up teary-eyed, so everyday working here is a God-given mission… there’s no better place to work.”
One mother, Mairu Rincon, uses the food pantry, which provides about a week’s worth of groceries, to help feed her family.
“It’s a really big help for me and my family, because I take care of my children full-time and I have no working income,” said Rincon.
What the mobile food pantry provides to the local events goes a long way to increase how much help the organizations can provide.
“The goal is to introduce families to our services and provide resources outside of food that resonate with that audience,” said McMahan. “When registration opened for our Sack Summer Hunger Program, we went to schools with the mobile food pantry to provide immediate access to fresh produce and promote the program, which ensures no child goes hungry over the summer.”
