The Trinity River Food Bank (TRFB) and its hub sites in Cleveland, Huntsville, Trinity and Coldspring have permanently closed. According to Christine Shippey, TRFB founder, some legal issues have arisen in the partnership between TRFB and the Houston Food Bank that will prevent her from reopening.
The 15,000-square-foot distribution center, which just opened this summer and is located in the Grand San Jacinto community south of Plum Grove, is among the casualties of the broken partnership between the two agencies.
The facility was built on land donated to Covenant With Christ by Colony Ridge, the developer of the subdivision. The building was constructed through a $476,000 grant from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation and the Houston Food Bank, among others.
“It’s a community-owned building. We want this building to go to the community and be used by the community. That’s what Trey Harris (with Colony Ridge) and I wanted when we originally made the agreement for the land,” she said.
Shippey, who also is the founder of Covenant With Christ, is hoping to offer the Houston Food Bank a long-term, no-cost lease for the land in order to see it continued to be used as a food distribution center.
“The building in Grand San Jacinto will be used as planned, but it might take several months before it reopens to serve the community,” she said.
In a letter posted on the doors of food distribution centers in Cleveland, Huntsville, Trinity and Coldspring, Shippey apologized for any inconvenience this might cause for people seeking food assistance.
“We are deeply committed to serving our neighbors and supporting our partners in this service area. Where permissible, Houston Food Bank and partner services will work to increase incoming deliveries into the service areas most impacted the changes,” Shippey said.
Shippey says she has never received a dime for her work through Trinity River Food Bank.
“This has been a labor of love for five years. I have worked on this since 2019 so that the communities could be served,” she said.
Shippey has compiled the following list of agencies and churches where people in need can get food assistance:
Houston Food Bank President Brian Greene says that partner organizations that were being served through Trinity River Food Bank will now be served directly by the Houston Food Bank. He stressed that there will be no interruption of service to those organizations.
For the four locations previously served by the Trinity River Food Bank, Houston Food Bank plans to set up mobile distributions.
“Our commitment remains the same as before. Every community we serve is equally important to us and we will ensure that food continues to flow to those families in need,” said Greene.
If you are impacted by the closing of the four food banks and are in need, please go online to https://www.houstonfoodbank.org/find-help/ and go to “Find a Location Near You.” You can also download the Houston Food Bank app on your mobile device and schedule an appointment, find a pantry or learn more about HFB programs.