Meal Provider Making a Difference in Panhandle

Guest Blogger - Becky Dempsey, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Rural Economic Development



Tri-County Meals in Quitaque, Texas is a great example of how community support and hard working volunteers can turn a great idea into an invaluable service.

Starting with just 65 home-cooked meals delivered to homebound seniors in 2004, Tri-County Meals now delivers approximately 8,000 meals per year in three Texas Panhandle counties.

And now the group has reached another milestone – the construction of a new 5,000 square-foot foodservice facility that allows Tri-County Meals to serve hot meals onsite to seniors who do not qualify for home delivered meals. One of our regional staff members attended the ribbon cutting for this facility and tells us the dining room expansion will also make room for a Food Pantry program that delivers supplies and food to people in need after emergencies. More than 100 hardworking volunteers from Quitaque, Silverton, Turkey and Flomot make the mission of Tri-County Meals possible.

The Texas Department of Agriculture is proud to partner with such devoted organizations that are committed to helping Texans in need. Through our Texans Feeding Texans programs, TDA will continue to assist those who help hungry Texans. To volunteer or learn more about Tri-County Meals call (806) 269-1275.

Fort Worth Reverend Leads by Example

Last week, while I was in Fort Worth awarding home-delivered meal agencies across North Texas more than $2 million to help feed hungry, homebound Texans, I met Reverend Floyd Kinser.

Rev. Kinser was the pastor of one of 11 churches that helped establish Meals on Wheels, Inc. of Tarrant County. This group of churches literally did it all when the home-delivered meal agency opened – they cooked food, answered phones and delivered meals.

Having volunteered 37 years with the agency, Rev. Kinser is the longest-serving volunteer, both as a board member and as a volunteer driver. He opens every board meeting with a prayer, and staff says his faith helps the home-delivered meal program succeed. Although now in his 80s, Rev. Kinser still delivers meals once a week. Thanks, Rev. Kinser, for your vision that is still positively influencing the lives of Texans today.

Grants Awarded to Home-Deliverd Meal Agencies to Feed Hungry Texans

Today I am meeting with representatives from home-delivered meal agencies in Central and North Texas. More importantly, I am proudly awarding these organizations with critical funding so they can continue their incredibly important job of helping elderly and homebound Texans maintain their independence. By delivering meals to our neighbors in need, these food-service organizations can help meet the nutritional needs of those who otherwise might go hungry or be forced to seek care outside their homes.


By nourishing our homebound neighbors, Texas taxpayers save about $30,000 in nursing home expenses per individual served. It’s a win-win situation, and it’s worthy of our support. If you’d like to help our homebound neighbors and the great state of Texas, I would encourage you to volunteer or donate to a home-delivered meal agency in your community.

TDA is awarding almost 200 grants, totaling $9.5 million to home-delivered meal providers across Texas who served over 13 million meals statewide last year. Over the three-year life of this program, TDA has awarded nearly $30 million to these organizations.


I appreciate all that these organizations do for Texans, and I am proud to support such an honorable and necessary initiative.

Click here to see the press release about today's events.