Southwest Airlines and the North Texas Food Bank are partnering to bring relief to the Hurricane Ike-ravaged Houston area. The airline, which is flying more than 100 employees to relieve workers at Hobby Airport, will also transport 345 emergency food boxes, totaling over 10, 500 pounds, for the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) on the plane as well. The special flight departs from Love Field tomorrow morning (Tues. Sept. 16) at 6:30 am. The food boxes will be taken to the Houston Food Bank for distribution to families in need as they recover from Hurricane Ike.
The North Texas Food Bank in Dallas is the hub Food Bank for assembling and distributing family food boxes to the affected Food Banks across Texas. NTFB has committed to building and transporting 4,000 boxes to the Houston and Beaumont Food Banks for distribution to families as they come back to the area.
Media must arrive at Love Field baggage claim no later than 5:30 am to be escorted to plane side for photo and interview opportunities. Photo opportunities include the food boxes being loaded onto the belt loader and into the cargo bin of the Southwest Airlines aircraft. NTFB President and CEO Jan Pruitt and Southwest Airlines spokesperson Beth Harbin will be available for interviews.
This transportation of food to the area kicks off the North Texas Food Bank’s drive to raise funds and collect additional food to fill the huge need in the Houston/Beaumont areas.
Ways the public can help:
Visit their neighborhood Kroger and Albertsons grocery stores and purchase pre-packaged bags of needed items. Customers can simply leave their bags at the store and they will be donated to the NTFB.
Drop off donations at the NTFB located at 4500 S. Cockrell Hill Rd., Dallas, 75236
Call 214-330-1396 to schedule a food or fund drive.
Donate online at ntfb.org.
Items needed for the family food boxes are:
1. Fruit Juices
2. Canned Meats
3. Beef Stew
4. Chunk Light Tuna in Water
5. Pork and Beans
6. Canned Soup
7. Canned Vegetables
8. Canned Fruit
9. Spaghetti in Tomato Sauce
10. Dried Beans
11. Dried Rice
(Please no glass containers)
Contact:
Amanda O’Neal
North Texas Food Bank
Public Relations Manager
Cell- 972-510-4932
amanda@ntfb.org
Beth Harbin
Southwest Airlines
Director-PR
Cell- 214-914-3018
Beth.Harbin@wnco.com
