The Salvation Army of North Texas faces decrease in food supply through COVID-19

Salvation Army of North Texas officials are asking for donations to help meet the needs of hundreds of McKinney and Plano families each day, many of whom have lost income during the coronavirus pandemic.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, The Salvation Army of North Texas began operating 13 drive-thru grocery service locations in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis and Tarrant counties to help people in need. The two Collin County locations are in McKinney and Plano.

But the demand has been higher than usual, as families in the area have lost wages, said David Feeser, a major with The Salvation Army McKinney Corps. All income verification and other typical requirements for assistance have been suspended, he said.

“At our community center in McKinney, we have distributed over 55,000 pounds of food since the start of the pandemic,” Feeser said in an email.

Due to the high demand, there is a low supply of food, he said.

In response, The Salvation Army of North Texas put together a virtual food drive to encourage people to make donations in late May. Through the food drive, 430 items were donated to The Salvation Army of McKinney and Plano.

But donations are still needed to help the organization feed an estimated 10,000 people per week at its 13 pantries, according to The Salvation Army website. Donations can be made by clicking this link.

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to identify Major David Feeser from The Salvation Army McKinney Corps as a source.