This month’s visionary voices feature looks a little different — because one of the most operationally complex organizations serving our region is a hunger-relief network. And the scale of what’s happening behind the scenes deserves business attention.
East Texas Food Bank is seeing demand rise across East Texas, including here in Bowie County, while facing higher food costs, tighter supply channels, and increased distribution expense. That combination — rising demand plus rising input cost — is something every business owner recognizes. The difference is the stakes. Their margin isn’t profit. It’s meals.
Instead of a traditional narrative feature, we’re running this story as a straight Q&A. The answers stand on their own and give a clear look at operational scale, resource stewardship, partnership strategy, and leadership focus inside a mission-driven organization that now functions more like a regional logistics enterprise than a simple charity. For business readers, there’s more here than awareness. There are lessons in efficiency, workforce leverage, and community partnership that translate well beyond the nonprofit world.
We spoke with Amber Adams, Director of Engagement at East Texas Food Bank, and got a behind-the-scenes look at operations at the Texarkana Resource Center.
How has demand for your services changed over the past few years, and what trends are you seeing right now across East Texas?
“We are seeing that children and families are at a higher risk of hunger. We moved from 1 in 6 adults are food insecure to 1 in 5 adults. This includes 1 in 4 children. Many are not aware, but 29% of children in Bowie County are hungry. There is an increase in demand in real time. More families need help now than ever before.”
Many people don’t realize the operational side of a regional food bank — what does it actually take behind the scenes to keep distribution running?
“An amazing team! We have 85 employees and the role I play is minuscule to the large operation and mission.”
What are the biggest challenges in sourcing and distributing food consistently in today’s environment?
“Rising cost of food and fleet operations. Due to federal cuts last year, we lost 18 truckloads of food from federal programs. This year we are spending $300,000 more in produce but serving at 15% less. We know produce is expensive, but the cost will be deadly if neighbors don't have access to healthy, fresh food.”
How important are partnerships with local businesses and organizations to your ability to serve the region?
“Partnerships are crucial. 1 in 5 adults in East Texas are food insecure. Based on that stat, many employers have staff who are food insecure or one life event away from needing our services. Partnerships help fill the meal gap in our region and affirm no employer wants their staff to be hungry.”
How do you think about efficiency and resource stewardship when you’re managing donated food, funding, and volunteer time?
“I think about efficiency and stewardship as both a logistical responsibility and a moral one. When you are managing donated food, funding and volunteer time, every decision directly impacts families who are depending on the resources. Operationally, we use data to forecast needs, inventory, projections, and donor dollars. Financially, we have measurable outcomes of cost per meal, distribution efficiency while maintaining accountability. With volunteers, we are not remised that time is the most valuable gift anyone has, so we spend it wisely with our volunteers through training, thoughtful scheduling, and making them feel important.”
What role do volunteers play in your operation, and what have you learned about managing and motivating a volunteer workforce at scale?
“Volunteers are substantial to helping save overhead cost. Last year alone volunteers saved us 2 million dollars in labor. We love our volunteers and treat them with dignity as we do our neighbors. We celebrate birthdays and milestones with them.”
What’s one common misconception people have about how food banks operate?
“Some common misconceptions I have heard are they thought food banks give unhealthy foods, outdated, and are dirty. That is simply not the case with ETFB. We serve 1400 households a month out of the Texarkana Resource Center, and each neighbor is greeted with dignity, has access to healthy food and fresh produce, and a clean environment. Another misconception is we are new to the area but East Texas Food Bank as been serving Bowie County since 1989, and we provide 70% of the food in Bowie County.”
From a leadership standpoint, what skills are most critical when running a mission-driven organization of this size?
“Everything we do starts with heart and dignity. We believe in fighting hunger and feeding hope while keeping neighbors our sole focus and at the forefront in everything we do.”
How can local business owners meaningfully support your mission beyond just writing a check?
“Monetary donations help us tremendously as we have buying power for maximum impact, but we know not everyone has the capacity to give. Local businesses can support ETFB by volunteering at the Texarkana Resource Center or host a virtual food drive.”
What priorities or initiatives are you most focused on in the coming year?
“We are excited to see more partnerships in the Texarkana Region. We are looking for the movers and shakers who want to change outcomes in Texarkana, one meal at a time. Hunger is not going away.”
For the business community, the takeaway is straightforward. Operational discipline, partnership networks, and efficiency systems aren’t just growth tools — they’re stability tools. Organizations that measure outcomes, manage resources tightly, and build strong local partnerships are the ones that keep delivering under strain. In Texarkana’s case, that doesn’t just support a nonprofit mission. It strengthens the workforce and the broader local economy that every business depends on.
For more information of East Texas Food Bank, take a look at their website. easttexasfoodbank.org