Grant Helps Fund New Senior Food Pantry

Senior citizens in Abilene who need assistance putting food on the table now have access to a new food pantry specifically for local seniors.

The Community Foundation of Abilene made a $10,000 grant to The Food Bank of West Central Texas during the 2020 fall discretionary grant cycle to help fund its Senior Pantry. The food bank collaborates with the City of Abilene to operate the pantry twice a month at the Rose Park Senior Center.

"The funds were used to procure shelf stable, nutritious food geared toward ensuring seniors have enough to eat," said FBWCT President/CEO Ronnie Kidd. "The Senior Pantry has been well received, serving close to 200 senior households."

The food bank was one of 66 nonprofits to receive a grant during a special grant cycle to support nonprofits in the midst of the pandemic. CFA combined the fall 2020 and spring 2021 discretionary cycles and partnered with donors to award more than $1 million in grants when nonprofits needed it most.

Fundholder Impact

CFA's donor-advised fundholders play a big part in contributing to total grant amounts during our discretionary grant cycles. Donor advisors can make contributions from their funds to support nonprofit applicants' projects during grant cycles, which adds to the grant dollars available from unrestricted funds. Unrestricted endowment funds allow CFA to respond to emerging needs in our community, and revenue from these funds is granted out during discretionary cycles in the spring and fall.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW GRANTMAKING WORKS