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Killeen food pantry helps fight food insecurity

Posted at 4:37 PM, Sep 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-18 18:03:35-04

More than 70,000 people in Bell County aren't sure where their next meal will come from.

According to Feeding Texas, 26.6 percent of children live in food insecure homes.  

Trudy Scicotti said since the age of 18, she has struggled to put food on the table.

"I was living on my own and I needed food for the house," said Ciccotti.

Now at the age of 46, Trudy is once again feeling the hunger pains of her youth.

She is struggling to feed three children of her own and one grandchild.

However, Trudy is not alone.

"There's just a need and its increased over the past several years to where we'll give about 2.5 million pounds of groceries to over 80,000 clients this year," said Raymond Cockrell, Executive Director of the Food Care Center of Killeen.

According to Feeding Texas, 21 percent of people in Bell County live in food insecure homes.

That means they do not have reliable access to enough food.

So far this month, the Food Care Center of Killeen has served nearly 5,000 people.

"Each time they come they typically get 35 to 40 pounds, which is about 10 days worth of meals," said Cockrell.

Trudy's advice to anyone who may need food is to find help. 

"Don't be afraid to ask for any help. There's a lot of places around here that will help you out," said Ciccotti.

If you visit their website, you can find a list of more than 10 different ways to find a food pantry near you.

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