Catholic Charities Dallas Delivers Nearly 8 Million Meals with Support from North Texas Food Bank

The partnership expands food access across 12 North Texas counties

Dallas, TX, Sept. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Catholic Charities Dallas (CCD) was recently awarded the Mobile Engagement Award by the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) for distributing nearly 8 million meals over the past year, bringing the total to more than 34 million meals since the two organizations began partnering in 2011. This longstanding collaboration has helped CCD meet growing demand across North Texas as more families struggle with food insecurity, driven by inflation and high living costs.

“Our Catholic faith calls us to care for our communities’ most vulnerable,” said Jari Mema, Chief Services Officer of Catholic Charities Dallas. “We are proud to work alongside the North Texas Food Bank to ensure that no family or individual goes hungry.”

Catholic Charities Dallas operates one of the most extensive mobile food outreach programs in the region. In fiscal year 2025, CCD surpassed 115 mobile distribution sites across nine counties, delivering food six days a week—including Saturdays—to both urban neighborhoods and rural communities. These mobile units served as the frontline of access for many families, contributing more than 5.4 million meals through partner-enabled mobile efforts and expanding service locations to better meet community needs. Full details and schedules can be found at ccdallas.org/mobile.

In addition to its mobile services, Catholic Charities operates three permanent food pantries, providing clients a consistent and dignified place to receive groceries. The newest addition, Joe’s Pantry at St. Jude Center-Park Central, uses a client-choice model that allows neighbors to select their food in a grocery store-like setting. Demand has nearly doubled since the pantry opened, now serving about 100 families daily. Joe’s Pantry and others, including the Jan Pruitt Community Pantry, serve designated zip codes to ensure targeted support where it’s needed most.

Recognizing the food access challenges in rural areas, Catholic Charities and NTFB launched a container pantry in Ennis, Texas, now providing more than 500,000 meals annually. This innovative model combines the accessibility of mobile distribution with the consistency of a permanent location, bringing food directly to families in Ellis County who may not otherwise have access to nutritious meals.

Beyond food assistance, Catholic Charities Dallas and the North Texas Food Bank are committed to offering wraparound services that support long-term stability. Through co-located services at places like the St. Jude Center-Park Central, neighbors receive help applying for SNAP benefits, financial literacy training, employment support, and housing resources. Much of this work has been made possible through NTFB’s Capacity Building and Hope for Tomorrow Grants, which have funded both the pantry infrastructure and ongoing case management efforts.

“Catholic Charities is one of our most trusted partners in delivering food to those who need it most,” said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. “Together, we’re providing not just food, but stability and hope for thousands of families.”

To learn more about Catholic Charities Dallas or to find food assistance near you, visit www.ccdallas.org or www.ntfb.org.

About North Texas Food Bank

The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a leading nonprofit organization that fights hunger and provides children, seniors and families in North Texas access to nutritious food. For over 40 years, we have been at the forefront of hunger relief, committed to ensuring that no one in our community lacks access to healthy food. Our extensive network of 500 food pantries and organizations, volunteers, and donors enables us to deliver more than 136 million meals annually to those in need. Beyond just addressing hunger, we focus on nourishing lives by offering nutrition education, investing in our network partners, innovating solutions to eliminate hunger and advocating for policies that tackle the root causes of food insecurity.

Our dedication to excellence is reflected in our 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, highlighting our strong governance, integrity, and financial stability. As a proud member of Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger relief network, we are committed to ensuring everyone in North Texas has the nourishment needed to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. For more information, visit http://www.ntfb.org/ or connect with us on social media @NorthTexasFoodBank.

About Catholic Charities Dallas

CCD is an independent, 501(c)3 non-profit organization and one of the leading social-service providers in the greater Dallas region. We educate, serve and empower more than 180,000 clients in need annually across a nine-county region of North Texas, addressing the root causes of poverty and homelessness. A large multi-disciplinary agency, CCD provides services in the following core areas: hunger alleviation; early childhood education; programming for low-income elderly; permanent supportive housing for the homeless; immigration legal services; pregnancy, parenting and adoption counseling; refugee support services; foster care for unaccompanied refugee minors; financial coaching and career development assistance; disaster preparedness and relief; and community health care. For more information, see www.ccdallas.org.

Attachments

Jeff Smith
North Texas Food Bank 
4698917022
jeff.smith@ntfb.org

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