Students from W.E. Greiner Middle School donate 65 frozen turkeys to HIV/AIDS food pantry

By John Wright -

Macario Hernandez, left, assistant principal of W.E. Greiner Middle School,
and Jesse Garcia,  president of LULAC #4871.

Last week we reported that Resource Center Dallas’ food pantry for people with HIV/AIDS won’t be able to offer turkeys to its clients this Thanksgiving, due to increased demand and declining donations. However, it turns out the pantry will have at least 65 frozen turkeys to give out that were dropped off last Friday by folks from Dallas’ LGBT chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens. According to LULAC #4871 President Jesse Garcia, the turkeys were donated by the families of students at W.E. Greiner Middle School. “I want to publicly thank Greiner Middle School and their assistant principal Macario Hernandez for donating much-needed protein to the Resource Center Dallas food pantry,” Garcia said. “This food pantry helps people of all ages from every part of the city who are affected by HIV. These clients have to deal with being sick and at times are unable to work. Some have to sacrifice between paying for their expensive medicine or affording a good meal. Greiner Middle School just made a big difference.” Read Garcia’s full press release below.

Resource Center Dallas facilities manager Lionel Solis, left, and volunteer Luis Zarate.

This holiday season got a little brighter for the clients at the Resource Center Dallas Food Pantry. The pantry usually serves an average of 700 Dallas residents with HIV/AIDS a nutritious meal each week. But demand is up, and contributions are down.

Thankfully Oak Cliff families who send their children to W.E. Greiner Middle School stepped up to the plate and provided 65 frozen turkeys to the food pantry on Nov. 19.  The school included the Resource Center Dallas among its beneficiaries for its fall food drive after members of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) recommended the food pantry as a worthy choice.

Members from LULAC Councils 272 and 4871 helped deliver the product just before the Thanksgiving holiday.

“I want to publicly thank Greiner Middle School and their assistant principal Macario Hernandez for donating much needed protein to the Resource Center Dallas Food Pantry,” said Jesse Garcia, president of LULAC Council 4871, whose organization has donated to the RCD Food Pantry for the last two holiday seasons. “This food pantry helps people of all ages from every part of the city who are affected by HIV. These clients have to deal with being sick and at times are unable to work. Some have to sacrifice between paying for their expensive medicine or affording a good meal.  Greiner Middle School just made a big difference.”

In North Texas, the Resource Center of Dallas has been at the forefront of providing nutritional assistance to those with HIV/AIDS.

The center got its start during the outbreak of AIDS in the early 1980s, feeding gay men afflicted with the epidemic. Today the center is seeing clients from other communities, especially Latinos and women.

“I think is pretty remarkable that children at Greiner Middle School are being taught at every young age about philanthropy and community service,” said Garcia. “This is a great example of how a community becomes stronger when a helpful hand is extended to those in need.”

The Resource Center Dallas Food Pantry is located at 5450 Denton Drive Cutoff, Dallas, TX 75235. The pantry is open noon to 7 p.m. on Mondays, and noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. The pantry is closed Fridays through Sundays. Donation drop-off hours are 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Mondays, and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. For more information, call (214) 521-3390.

LULAC 4871 is conducting its own food drive for Saturday, Dec. 11, that will benefit the Resource Center Dallas Food Pantry, AIDS Interfaith Network’s Daire Center, a West Dallas senior center and a Pleasant Grove community church. The organization is need of copy paper size boxes to deliver meals during its “Cena En El Barrio” food distribution event that is sponsored by North Texas LULAC, Tyson Foods and the North Texas Food Bank.  If you can donate sturdy boxes (up to 250 needed) that can carry frozen chicken, bags of rice and beans, along with canned vegetables and fresh produce, please contact Garcia at jessegarciadallas@gmail.com.

For more information about LULAC 4871, visit www.lulac4871.org.