Bonham, Texas -- Beginning this spring, Feeding Fannin changed its mission from helping those in need of healthy food to disaster relief due to COVID-19.  Closing of schools and businesses, loss of jobs, fear of the disease caused panic and distress all over the world. Grocery stores were not always stocked with basic staples found easily and less costly in ordinary times.   Older members of the community and those with pre-existing diseases were not able to get all the groceries they needed. Though stores are better stocked today the disease has spread and we still need to be safe and protect those most vulnerable.

Feeding Fannin was almost one-year-old when we went from fresh produce distributions through North Texas Food Bank at the Armory and in Honey Grove at McKenzie Methodist Church to drive through distributions of staples, produce, milk and juice.  Our last distribution with the NTFB on August 14 we helped serve 267 families.

In May we started weekly drive thru-dinners. May 12 our team hosted our first Tuesday Super Supper with the Breakfast Stop, a crowd of close to 200 from the community lined up at the Bonham Family Life Center and had a delicious pulled pork dinner. Since then our crowd has grown and our hard- working volunteers and generous churches, businesses and other local organizations have stepped up and we now are serving over 300 meals in Bonham.

In July we went on the road to Ladonia and hosted an awesome dinner with the Pig & Whistle Restaurant, the Ladonia Police Dept and several community members including Mayor Jan Cooper. We added a drive-thru Resource Fair with great bags given to us by Texoma Council of Governments filled with information from TCOG, Fannin County Family Crisis Center, Fannin Ag Extension and face masks from Women of First Presbyterian Church of Bonham. Our Board continues to meet with Chief Howard Day of the Ladonia Police Department and Professors Robert Williams and Desire Djidonou from Texas A&M Commerce in hopes of developing sustainable gardening programs specifically in the Fannindel schools.  

Through the hot summer months our dedicated volunteers have continued to work alongside the community.  On August 11 our team partnered with Bonham Police Department to host Tuesday Super Supper with grilled burgers. 

Thanks to Catherine Krantz, and our support from TCOG, we again filled bags with valuable information to help diverse citizens from Head Start to Senior Living.  Chief Bankston and crew grilled 325 burgers. The team served a great crowd and we took dinner to the Open Arms Shelter. (more photos below article) 

We would not have been able to feed the thousands of our neighbors this summer had it not been for all the many groups that donated their time and resources. Our organization is grateful for North Texas Food Bank and their diligent aid to a rural community. We want to continue our work while there is a need. 

On Tuesday, August 25 we will serve hotdogs and lots of other good summer food teaming with our friends from The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints.  Then our last summer dinner will be September 1. We will take a few weeks off to organize for the fall and be back with First Presbyterian Church of Bonham on Sept. 29. North Texas Food Bank Distribution date will be announced in the next couple weeks.  Please follow North Texas e-News and our Feeding Fannin Facebook page for dates.

Feeding Fannin Board wishes thank all the individuals who have donated their time and money.  We have received generous donations from Mosaic Assembly of God Church, First United Methodist Church of Bonham and several amazing individuals who wish to remain anonymous.  

Our Board members Rev. Liz Dyvig, Pastor Dana Coker, Bishop Jason Egan, Cyndi Keeler, Andrea Lappin, Bethany Arie, Tere Curtis and facilitator Delano Smith are from across Fannin county, Bonham, Honey Grove, Leonard and Ladonia.   We are working under the 501C 3 status and guidance of Texoma Regional Foundation.

If your church or organization would like to co-host an event during the fall please contact Tere Curtis at terefcfcc@frontier.com or any other Board member. If you are interested in volunteering please contact Andrea Lappin at andrea@fanninccc.org.

If you would like to help monetarily with this project, on September 17 Feeding Fannin will participate In North Texas Giving Days – any amount helps!  Please check out our page and view some of the pictures from past events!  We have the best volunteers!

https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/feedingfannin

photos by Allen Rich