Thousands turn out for Feast of Sharing

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Mickie Powers works as a director of a food pantry and soup kitchen in South Austin.

This year, she is cooking dinner for more  than 150 people who would otherwise not be getting a Thanksgiving dinner.

"We have people coming in that we normally don't see, who are actually apologetic, saying, 'we are sorry, we never thought we would have to use a food pantry or food stamps,'" explained Powers, who is relying on food from Capital Area Food Bank of Texas . "[Without the food bank's help] I think you would have to say it would be a meager meal, anything we could make of rice and macaroni."

Powers picked up a van full of food and even got a rarity, fresh asparagus.

"This is a luxury," Powers said while picking up the box of produce.

Need for food across Central Texas is high.  Many food pantries are seeing double the amount of people this year than last year.

Still, not one person is being turned away.

"More families are getting fewer pounds, but we are doing are best to serve everyone who waits in line for food," said Adrienne Longenecker, chief development officer of the Capital Area Food Bank.

Longenecker told KXAN, volunteers at the food bank pack and ship 70,000 pounds of food on any given day.  That is equivalent in weight to a 737 airplane.

"The warehouse can hold about 2 million pounds [of food] at any given time, which means we are filling it up and emptying it once a month," Longenecker explained.

Capital Food Bank is fully stocked and not urgently in need of anything, thanks to a steady stream of donations.

This morning, HEB surprised the pantry with 30,000 pounds of food.  Semi-trailers packed with cans of corn, green beans and boxes of macaroni rolled up to the South Austin facility unannounced.

"The food bank is doing a great job giving out turkeys and many other types of protein, so we are hoping that this is just another added smile and surprise to what is probably a challenging time for them," said Leslie Sweet, director of public affairs for HEB.

HEB also hosted their 21st Annual Feast of Sharing at the Palmer Events Center. 

Sweet said 13,000 people were expected to show up, but volunteers were prepared to feed 15,000.

"We want everyone to come out and make sure they get a free holiday meal," Sweet explained.

All of the food distributed at the feast and at the food bank is going to people from all walks of life, not just the needy.

"They come off the street and from under bridges and wherever they are, as well as the people that live at our facility," Powers added.

Longenecker said all donations are appreciated and that she wants to remind that community that need is year-long, not just during the holidays.

Longenecker encourages community members to join a food drive, volunteer and to call their local elected official and tell him or her their feelings about how important of an issue hunger is.