Hunger & Homelessness
November is Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Month. Hunger/Homeless awareness week occurs the week before Thanksgiving in the US. Food drives are often held to help those who face hunger and homelessness.
As the holidays approach, we must take time to reflect what we are thankful for. Many individuals choose to donate their time, attention, and resources to others. In that spirit of giving, each year the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness sponsor Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week during the week prior to Thanksgiving.
Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is designed to educate the public, draw attention to the problem of poverty, and build up the base of volunteers and supporters for local anti-poverty agencies. Groups spend this week generating publicity about hunger and homelessness and holding a series of events to engage their communities.
This amazing event was first held at Villanova University in 1975. This year, more than 700 colleges, high schools, and community groups across the country come together during this week to raise awareness about the pressing issues of hunger and homelessness.
North Central Texas College’s Awareness Team, Student Government Association, and the National Society of Leadership and Success come together to feed NCTC across all campuses by holding a food drive.
“With just a $10 dollar bill, Denton Community Food Center can purchase $70 worth of essential food items from Tarrant Area Food Bank (that’s a haul of 40-50 meals). At a much lower cost than shopping retail, and not being charged maintenance fees, it’s a much greater return on their investment.”
Food Pantries & Giving Shelves at NCTC
NCTC is taking action to address food insecurity among its students, and is doing so with a vision of partnership and community building. We have established a Food Pantry at our main Campus in Gainesville and Giving Shelves on each of our campuses that will provide food and snacks for students in need.
Any current NCTC student, faculty or staff in need can visit the Food Pantry and Giving Shelves. For more information on locations, opening dates and times please contact the campuses.
Food Pantry at a Glance in Denton County
North County
Asbury Relief Ministry (ARM) Food Pantry
Check for operating hours
117 Hercules Lane, Denton
(940) 387-6487
Denton Community Food Center
M & W 1:00 - 3:00 PM
306 N. Loop 288, Ste. 400, Denton
Feed My Sheep Food Pantry
M & W 10:00 AM - Noon
(Button Memorial UMC)
101 W. Eldorado Pkwy, Little Elm
(214) 546-8753
First Refuge Ministries — Denton
M 9:00 AM-Noon, W 1:00 PM-4:00 PM, Th 6:00 PM-8:00 PM
1701 Broadway Street, Denton
First Refuge Ministries — Sanger
M 1:00 PM-4:00 PM, Th 9:00 AM-Noon
713 S. 5th Street, Sanger
Freedom House Pantry/The Shepherd’s Hand Food Pantry
M-F 1:00 - 4:00 PM
1123 Fort Worth Drive, Denton
(940) 808-1016
Hope Food & Clothing Ministry
Third Sat of the Month 9:00 - 11:00 AM
819 Sherman Drive, Aubrey
(940) 218-5615
The Hope Center
M-F 5:00-6:00 PM
(Cross Timbers Church)
312 W. McKinney Street, Denton
Little Elm Area Food Bank
M 9:00 AM-4:00 PM, Th 9:00 AM-5:00 PM, F 9:00 AM-NOON, Every Third Sat 9:00 AM-3:00 PM
501 Bill Street, Little Elm
Our Daily Bread
M-F 10:00 AM-NOON
300 W. Oak Street, Denton
(940) 566-1308
Salvation Army Denton Corps Food Pantry
W & F 1:00 PM - 3:45 PM
1508 East McKinney Street, Denton
(940) 566-3800
The Shepherd's Storehouse
M, W, F 8:30 AM-NOON
1189 South Hwy 377, Pilot Point
(940) 686-2620
Singing Oaks Church of Christ
T & Th 3:00-5:00 PM
101 Cardinal Drive, Denton
(940) 387-4355
Vision Ministries
M-TH 12:30-4:00 PM
(Denton Bible Church)
626 Wainwright St, Denton
South County
Argyle Food Bank
M 9:00 AM-NOON
(First Baptist Church Argyle)
414 N Hwy 377, Argyle
(940) 464-7224
Christian Community Action (CCA)
M-TH 8:00 AM-7:00 PM, F 8:00 AM–3:00 PM, SAT 8:00 AM–1:00 PM
200 South Mill Street, Lewisville
Heart of the City Lewisville Farmers Market Food Pantry
T 3:00-6:00 PM, TH 9:00 AM-12:00 PM, SAT 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
2021 N. Mill St., Lewisville
(972) 824-6171
Lake Cities Community Food Pantry
T & TH 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
(Lake Cities UMC)
300 E. Hundley, Lake Dallas
(940) 321-6100
Metrocrest Services
M-F 8:30 AM-5:00 PM, SAT 9:00 AM - 1 :00 PM
13801 Hutton Drive, Ste. 150, Farmers Branch
NTX Community Food Pantry
M & W 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, TH 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
5201 S. Colony Blvd., #650, The Colony
(469) 514-9065
7 Facts About Hunger & Homelessness
You Should Know
As the weather starts to cool and the season changes to fall, we are very aware that the challenges that 2020 have presented will impact people with low incomes at a far greater rate than other populations.
Looking forward to National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week, we present the following 7 facts about hunger and homelessness, as well as steps you can take to help.
More than 54 million Americans may experience food insecurity in 2020.
Food insecurity affects every county and congressional district in the country, according to Feeding America. Learn more about food insecurity (and food banks) in your community by exploring data from Feeding America’s interactive map.
Source: Feeding America
18 million children are experiencing food insecurity. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Being homeless could take up to 30 years off your life. Homeless people have an average life expectancy of 50 years of age, while most people can expect to live to 78.
This short life expectancy is tragic but not necessarily surprising, given that people who are homeless are more likely to get sick, struggle with mental health and/or substance abuse, and are often victims of violence.
Every year on the longest night of the year, cities nationwide mourn the loss of people who died on the street in their communities.
Rural communities have higher rates of hunger than metropolitan communities (16.5% compared to 13.5%)
As Feeding America notes, hunger is more prevalent in rural areas for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to higher unemployment and underemployment rates, lower levels of education, and less access to work support services, such as flexible and affordable child care and public transportation.
Source: Food Research & Action Center
You could fill five football stadiums with the homeless population of the U.S
At least 567,715 people were homeless on a given night in January of 2019 in the U.S., according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) annual Point-in-Time (PIT) 2019 count.
While the PIT count does not fully capture the state of homelessness in the country, it offers an important snapshot that helps direct resources.
Source: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Every year 2.5 million children experience homelessness. That’s almost the entire population of Chicago.
One in every 30 children experiences homelessness every year in the U.S. Children are homeless in every city and state nationwide.
Source: American Institutes For Research
Anyone could be at risk of homelessness.
While hundreds of thousands struggle with homelessness, millions more are living paycheck to paycheck and at risk of becoming homeless. One unexpected event, like a car breaking down, can put them on the street.