LUFKIN, Texas (KTRE) – The East Texas Food Bank is closing its mobile food pantry in Lufkin. Area residents in need of food assistance are encouraged to now use the East Texas Food Bank’s Deep East Texas Resource Center (DETRC).

“DETRC opened in 2021 and people needing food in that area are coming to the center where they receive more food than what we were giving out at the mobile pantry,” said Kim Morris, ETFB Chief Impact Officer. “We made the decision to close the mobile pantry at the expo center that we started in response to the pandemic in 2020, and instead are referring folks needing assistance to the Deep East Texas Resource Center. DETRC has been so successful and more East Texans are coming to the center because of all of the resources they have access to.”

The East Texas Food Bank describes the DETRC as a “one-stop-shop of wraparound services including a food pantry, benefits assistance and other support services.” In fiscal year 2023, DETRC served 4,385 households over 1.1 million meals.

“Neighbors receive fresh produce, meat, dairy and shelf-stable food such as canned goods and nuts at the DETRC,” said Rachel Collins, DETRC Branch Manager. “Also shoppers are able to pick out what food they want to eat instead of us handing them a box of food they may not want.”

The final mobile pantry in Lufkin will be on Tuesday, February 27 at 9 a.m. at the George H. Henderson Expo Center. DETRC is open Tuesday-Saturday including extended hours and weekends when our other pantry partners are closed. For more information visit DETRC.org

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