“We were thrilled and honored,” Chief External Affairs Officer Stephen Raeside said. “While we can’t reveal the exact amount, it was very generous and will provide a couple hundred thousand meals to people in our service area.”
Tarrant Area Food Bank was founded in 1982 by a group of Fort Worth residents concerned about food insecurity in the community. It is now the primary source of donated food for hunger-relief charities and feeding programs in Tarrant County and 12 surrounding counties, serving 1 million meals each week, according to its website. The organization depends upon volunteers and donations to carry out its mission on a daily basis.
To get Swift’s attention, Tarrant Area Food Bank officials conducted an Instagram campaign in the week leading up to her concert at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
“We temporarily changed our name to the Taylor Area Food Bank,” Raeside said. “That gained the attention of followers in the Swiftie community, which culminated with this fantastic gift.”
Raeside, whose teenage daughter Elizabeth counts herself as a "Swiftie," also spoke about the recognition that Swift’s gift gave to the hard work of the Tarrant Area Food Bank staff and volunteers.
“This gift helps so much for all they do day in and day out to support struggling families in the greater Fort Worth area get the food they need,” Raeside said.
