On Oct. 28, Dallas’ premiere poverty prevention organization, the Wilkinson Center, celebrated the opening of its new food pantry in the southeastern neighborhood of Dallas — Pleasant Grove.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by more than 150 friends and supporters of the Wilkinson Center, including elected offi cials and a representative from the USDA Food and Nutrition Services.
The event also featured the center’s first big donation from the Medical City Hospital, whose employees donated $192,441 toward much-needed services to the citizens of Pleasant Grove. Britt Berrett, President and CEO of Medical City Dallas Hospital, presented a special dedication on behalf of the more than 2,400 employees of the hospital who helped raise that large contribution.
Also donating that day was Jan Pruitt, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank, who presented the Wilkinson Center with a “Close the Gap Grant” for $20,000, the first to be issued by NTFB to a partnering agency. “Close the Gap” is the North Texas Food Bank’s three-year strategic plan to unite the community and narrow the food gap by providing access to 50 million meals annually.
The Pleasant Grove center is located just North of I-30 at 3312 N. Buckner Boulevard with 4,000 square feet of highly visible space in a major retail hub where the Texas Workforce Commission and WIC offi ces anchor this shopping center. The bright and cheerful waiting room welcomes the families who previously had to travel distances of up to 14 miles for assistance at the Wilkinson Center’s Munger location. The Pleasant Grove location will offer clients a fullrange of services from basic necessities to adult education classes and case management. A Resource Center is Born North Texas residents not only get a new pantry, but a skills center The Wilkinson Center serves over 34,000 clients each year. Half of those served are children. One hundred percent of its programs serve low-income families for whom hunger is a reality and homelessness is always a possibility.
For more information about the center, visit http://www.wilkinsoncenter.org or call (800) 880-4988.
