Highland Food Pantry

Feeding the Hungry

The Highland Food Pantry welcomes anyone in a spiritual, financial and/or food crisis by offering physical, emotional and spiritual resources to families in crisis. We seek to create self-sufficiency by providing a dignified food shopping experience through a client-choice food pantry. We often have nutritional fresh produce from the Grace Community Garden as well as other fresh food products donated by area restaurants and grocery stores around Abilene.

<span style="color:var(--primary-color-bg)">About the Pantry</span>

About the Pantry

In 1986, Highland designated a small closet in our building as a Food Pantry. Due to limited space the Pantry could only offer one or two bags of groceries. In 1996, the current Walnut location was donated to Highland with the intent of expanding the food pantry ministry. After renovating the building, Christian Ministries of Abilene (CMA) opened its doors as the first client-choice food pantry in Abilene. In 2013, fresh food items were added such as produce, meats and dairy products. In 2018, CMA began supplementing  the Pantry shelves with fresh produce provided by the Freedom and Grace Community Gardens. The name was officially changed to Highland Food Pantry to avoid confusion with another Abilene agency. The Food Pantry also partners with Harvest Connection of Feeding America to recover leftover foods from area restaurants and businesses.

<span style="color:var(--primary-color-bg)">Client-Choice Model</span>

Client-Choice Model

Traditional food pantry models create a box of pre-selected items to hand out. Our client-choice model asks individuals to select their own items, like you would at a grocery store. In fact, our food pantry is physically set up like a grocery store with stocked shelves and industrial refrigerators and freezers containing a variety of non-perishable and fresh food. This helps us promote a spirit of dignity, respect, and self-efficacy as clients are empowered to make their own choices. An additional benefit is the reduction of food waste, as clients are selecting foods they know, like, and feel confident about preparing. 

The self-choice model also provides many social benefits to clients allowing for interaction and engagement with pantry staff or volunteers that assist with food choices. The visit becomes a more personalized pantry experience and allows staff and volunteers the opportunity to share ideas and resources, offer encouragement, prayer and spiritual guidance.

<span style="color:var(--primary-color-bg)">Partnering with AHC</span>

Partnering with AHC

Since the summer of 2018, the Highland Food Pantry has partnered with the Abilene Big Country Hunger Coalition (ABCHC) to distribute hot, nutritious meals during the AISD three-week gap at the end of the summer and before school begins in the fall. Known as the Free Summer Meals program, the program has now expanded to include a week of free meals during the winter and spring breaks. These meals provide Abilene Independent School District families and their children with breakfast, lunch and dinner during the holiday breaks. The Highland Food Pantry also partners with the West Central Texas Food Bank (Feeding America) and the Basic Needs Network (BNN/2-1-1).

<span style="color:var(--primary-color-bg)">Policies and Requirements</span>

Policies and Requirements

The Highland Food Pantry is a United States Department of Agriculture Distribution Site (USDA) and households must qualify based on poverty level income for 1-year. Households over income and in crisis can qualify on an Emergency Crisis status for a 6-month period.

We encourage you to bring a valid I. D. for all adults in the household and Social Security cards for everyone, including children.

Households may only receive groceries from the Highland Food Pantry once every 2 months.

Households must not have received food from another Abilene Food Pantry within the last 7-days of your visit to the Highland Food Pantry.

All volunteers must have a background check and complete a (free) online Civil Rights training course. Paid staff and AmeriCorp members are required to take a food safety course, which is optional for volunteers. Background checks may be required to participate in some programs at the discretion of Pantry staff.

Volunteer Opportunities

Email us to receive all Food Pantry volunteer calendar links with dates and times. **As of Sept. 2024, we have a need for restocking positions. Please visit the Food Pantry at 701 Walnut before making a commitment.**

Email Us

If you like interacting with others, you can assist neighbors with their Food Pantry application and USDA form.  This position is designed for the extrovert personality who is willing to share and pray with neighbors. Interactions may include listening to their stories and offering prayer.

Light computer skills are preferred and training on the 2-1-1 system is easy and available.

Some light interaction with neighbors as you assist them with their shopping choices. Neighbors who visit food pantries can have high rates of food-related health problems and often ask questions on the nutritional value of some foods. Our pantry has implemented the Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) system, a stoplight system that nutritionally ranks food.

Groups of six (6) or more can make arrangements for times convenient to your group.

Usually in a 1 to 2 hour timeframe, groups come in and are available to restock the shelves, clean up the shopping area, back inventory area or warehouse, etc.

Children 8+ welcome to serve. Younger children must be supervised by a parent at all times.

Click here to sign up a group.

Restock the shelves when inventory is low and/or assist with portioning bulk food (flour, sugar, etc.) into smaller portion sizes. Other duties as needed. This position is designed for the introvert who prefers to work alone and/or with one or two others.

Substitutes: Be available to substitute for a regular volunteer who may be sick, have a doctor’s appointment or travel plans. When you receive a text, email or phone call, asking if you are available for a specific time/date, you are able to say yes or no, without guilt, according to your schedule. This position is designed to assist as needed for the Interviewer or the Shopping Assistant positions.

Individuals and/or small groups can come learn the basics of vegetable gardening. 80% of the produce harvested goes to the Highland Food Pantry to share with neighbors and friends. Individuals and/or large groups with a minimum of 6 or more are scheduled for a 1 to 2 hours shift. Duties include planting, weeding, harvesting, and other duties as needed, etc. If you need community service hours, we can help you by helping us!

Text, call or email Joe at 325-669-1661 / email foodpantry@highlandchurch.org

Individuals, ages 8 and over and/or large groups are invited to assist with the organization and implementation of the FREE Meals Program through the Food Pantry and the Abilene Hunger Coalition. The FREE Meals program takes place during Abilene ISD student breaks (Winter & Spring Break,) and approximately 11-days to 2-weeks in the summer when students do not  have access to the free meals. The program organizes meal sites scattered throughout the community of Abilene. Each site requires at least two Site Coordinators who coordinate the distribution of meals prepared by a Cooking Team. The Cooking Team assists with the preparation of 300 to 500 meals per day during the program time period. The links to sign up for the FREE Meals program are usually posted 2-3 weeks prior to the start of each program.

Individuals and/or large groups with a minimum of 6 or more are scheduled for a 1 to 2 hours shift. Duties include setup of Christmas Store, price tagging of inventory, sorting into categories, cleanup and repacking, and other duties as needed, etc. The sign-up link is usually available after the first of October.

Highland loves Abilene and believes in sharing God’s comfort in meaningful ways with our community. If you are experiencing food insecurity, we invite you to come to the Highland Food Pantry and receive the gift of restoration that God offers us all.

Location

701 Walnut St
Abilene, TX
79601

Phone

(325) 673-1234
(325) 673-5295

Hours of Operation

Monday: 9:30-12:00pm + 1-2pm
Thursday: 6-7:15pm
Friday: 9:30-12:00pm

Food Pantry Leadership