The Tarrant Area Food Bank got top-class help kicking off their Christmas season with mega mobile market events.
Grammy-winning musician Leon Bridges and former TCU soccer coach Gary Patterson were there Tuesday to load some boxes and tour the facility that will serve thousands of families over the holidays.
The coach and soul singer started a charity called The Big Good. The nonprofit donated 20,000 chickens and other items on the blackboard.
Bridges grew up in Fort Worth and told NBC 5 that he can come home to serve a community that flows into him.
“I left my mark outside of the music. And I literally saw my dad who was a cornerstone of the Southside there in the 90s. And he created a southern environment for many of these children in this area. I’m just trying to follow in his footsteps on that note. That is, you know, our purpose in life is to serve others, “said Bridges.
“I think it’s nice that so many people have the heart to give their time and help others. And I was at a point where my family was in an awkward position where we needed help for each other. So that’s powerful. “
“It’s very superficial if you don’t think about the rest of the people. We are all lucky, for example, that I’ve been here in Fortworth for almost 25 years. So having a chance to say thank you and give it back, “Patterson said.
Patterson and Bridges got together a little over a year ago and developed a shared interest in helping others. They have since formed a friendship, which was revealed while speaking to reporters.
“We’re real homies,” smiled Bridges. “It’s about continuing to break bread and building on our friendship.”
“There are a lot of people like ‘You and Leon Bridges?'” Added Patterson.
Their holiday dinner giveaway is called The Big Give and is for those in need of food aid. This includes families still facing the effects of COVID-19, as well as those who do not have the means to provide their families with a Thanksgiving meal.
This year, The Big Give is delivering 20,000 chickens to accompany foods sourced from the Tarrant Area Food Bank and North Texas Food Bank. Through multiple distributions in different locations and over several days, The Big Give will reach every corner of the North Texas community.
“Last year we were able to feed between 80 and 100,000 people on a million pounds of food and now we have the opportunity to grow that,” said Patterson.
“Super excited, I can’t believe we have that kind of support from Coach P and Leon Bridges. It’s just amazing,” said Julie Butner, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Tarrant Area Food Bank, with tears in the eyes.
“Last year we served 10,000 families in just one location at the AT&T Stadium. We hope to feed even more families this year. It’s a full Thanksgiving meal that will cater for 4-6 people in a family. And we. We can.” I’m very excited to offer this to the community. “
The partnership, which serves families across North Texas, includes The Big Good, Tarrant Area Food Bank, North Texas Food Bank, and Dallas and Fort Worth Baptist Ministers Union and MW Cares Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Dallas-based MW Logistics.
“This year, with the supply chain challenges that we have had and that we can still tackle with our donors and corporate sponsors, it is just a great thing to see that we have another year of people in need who can run out there and feed their families and not have to worry about missing a meal on Thanksgiving, “said Mitchell Ward, owner of the logistics company.
The Big Give events are held in Dallas and Tarrant counties.
Fort Worth individual pickup on multiple days and locations:
• November 18, 8:00 am – 12:00 pm: AT&T Stadium;
• November 20, 7 am-12pm: True Love Sanctuary 76104
• December 4th, 9 am-12pm: Tarrant Area Food Bank West, Weatherford
Dallas mass distribution at UNT Dallas:
• November 20, 9 am-12pm: UNT Dallas Campus, 7300 University Hills Boulevard, South Dallas.
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