‘Hunger Hero’ named as food bank kicks off Hunger Action Month

TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) — Hunger Action Month in September is a nationwide campaign that puts a spotlight on the issue of food insecurity. Texarkana-based Harvest Regional Food Bank is celebrating what it means for their community with the annual Hunger Action Luncheon.

“Not only is this to raise awareness for the issue of food insecurity but also to make sure that we recognize and thank our volunteers, our agency partners, pantries that really are the boots on the ground.” said Camille Wrinkle, Executive Director of the Harvest Regional Food Bank.

All those who work to ensure the food bank can feed those in need were, in turn, served a meal as thanks.

A select few of them were even recognized with awards. Like Linda Walker with the Community Alternative Prevention Program.

“We started off with a Vacation Bible school.” said Walker, “Later on we realized that you can’t really can’t address education if they’re hungry.”

She was given the top honor of Hunger Hero for her decades of work in Little River County.

“It’s really been about 39 years that we’ve been doing this, and in that time you run across a lot of people who you feel like are a lot more deserving… a lot more deserving than I am. So to get recognized for this is really an honor because I feel like it’s just really my reasonable service. I’m not doing anything any more than anyone else.” said Walker.

What she hopes that people keep in mind during Hunger Action Month is that it really does take the whole community to fight hunger.

“The first person who put down the first dollar for us to start out was a custodian at the school. She didn’t have the money to do it, but she put down the first $5 for us to start.” said Walker.