Food Bank of West Central Texas delivers

CLYDE — A change is coming here for clients of the Food Bank of West Central Texas.

On Wednesday, food sourcing manager Brandon Forrest was directing a crew of 15 volunteers and four staff members as a line of cars stood by to receive the monthly disbursement. Stretching about three blocks, drivers were directed to turn onto Cedar Street from North First Street to receive their allotment.

Brandon Forrest, the food sourcing manager for the Food Bank of West Central Texas, signals for another vehicle during the monthly food distribution in Clyde Wednesday. A group of volunteers and staff members loaded the foodstuffs into the trunks, backseats or beds of cars and pickups, the line for which stretched for three blocks down North First Street.

“We are doing a what we call a ‘nonqualifying distribution,’ meaning that here in the city of Clyde, where we’re serving, anybody qualifies,” Forrest said. “There are no questions about income, household size and all of that.”

That will change by the end of the year, however.

“Come December, it will be based on household size and income,” he continued. “But for the next few months, it’s nonqualifying, so anybody in the city of Clyde can receive food commodities at no cost to them.”

Volunteer Mark Gray holds a pair of bags containing foodstuffs as he awaits the next car in line Wednesday in Clyde.

The distribution begins at 4 p.m. and runs until 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. This month’s was held outside the Clyde Community and Seniors Center.

“We generally try to provide a number of fresh and frozen proteins, a good balance of nutritious food, some snacks and things like that,” Forrest said.