North Texas Food Banks Receive Water Donation after Winter Storm Uri

North Texas Food Banks received a much-needed water donation post-Winter Storm Uri from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on February 25, 2021. Dozens of volunteers met in the Church’s Colleyville, Texas, parking lot to help unload and distribute the water to multiple community organizations.

At the height of the winter storm emergency, 15 million Texans were without water. While safe drinking water is being restored, many families are still without it and electricity.

“The past year has definitely been crazy […] something like we have never really experienced before,” said Kyle Buchanan, Assistant Manager of Grace Pantry in Grapevine, Texas. “The need has definitely gone up since people aren’t working and [with] the shortage of food. The snowstorm had a big impact on the community.”

“We had to not be open a part of the time,” said Mike Plog, Director of Community Powered Revitalization for 6 Stones, a coalition of churches, businesses, cities, and other organizations that provide solutions to meet the needs of the community. “After we opened, we had a lot of need coming in. We have a lot of apartment complexes in the [Hurst-Euless-Bedford] area […] still without drinking water and they are struggling. Because of their connection with us, they asked us for help and the Latter-day Saints have been so fantastic to bless us with water that we can pass on and give to those neighbors in need.”

The community is incredible. Everyone came together to help one another and forgot themselves, whether their circumstances were difficult or not.

Elle Kilgore, Fort Worth Texas Mission

Sister Elle Kilgore, a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Fort Worth Mission was on hand to help with the unloading and distribution of the water. “With everything that is going on, the work is kind of changing. It’s been a really cool experience to look for those service opportunities, but also to witness the service from everyone in the community,” said Kilgore. “The community is incredible. Everyone came together to help one another and forgot themselves, whether their circumstances were difficult or not.”

“We have so many families […] still without water and some without electricity, but due to [this gift…The Church of Jesus Christ] is giving us, we are able to feed families and their children,” Rhonda Branch Yearby of Tarrant Churches Together, an affiliation of over 100 churches serving the community. “As soon as I leave here, I will be going to meet with 30 other people and we will be giving water out to 10 other churches.”

It feels like there is never enough that can be done,” said Church of Jesus Christ missionary Elle Kilgore. “There’s always something to do to help, but it’s definitely special to be able […] to reach out to people and lend that helping hand when it’s available and we can.”

“This is a blessing indeed,” said Kyle Buchanan.