Author name: Zivorad Filipovic

TROOPS AND PACKS “SCOUT FOR FOOD” MARCH 22nd AMARILLO, March 18, 2025 — Hundreds of local boy scouts will canvass several Amarillo neighborhoods Saturday, March 22nd collecting food donations door-to-door during the 2025 Scouting for Food “Good Turn” program. The annual event benefitting High Plains Food Bank, is traditionally one of the largest spring food drives in the Texas Panhandle. “The Scouting for Food drive is a powerful way for Scouts to live out the Scout Law by being helpful and making a real difference in their community,” said Michael Lopez, Golden Eagle District Executive. “Each year, this initiative teaches Scouts the importance of service while helping provide food to families in need across the Texas Panhandle.” Everyone is encouraged to donate food or funds to support High Plains Food Bank through Scouting for Food, even if their neighborhood was unassigned to a unit. “We are thrilled to once again partner with the Golden Spread Council for the Scouting for Food event” said Zack Wilson, executive director for High Plains Food Bank. “With one in six neighbors in the Texas Panhandle facing food insecurity, this initiative is more critical than ever. Together, we can make a meaningful difference by ensuring families have the nourishment they need.” Troops and packs will inform residents within their assigned neighborhoods of where to leave donations, pick-up times, etc. All Texas Panhandle residents may support the Scouting for Food by: Donating online at https://www.hpfb.org/?form=ScoutingforFood2025 Every $1 you can give provides up to 9 meals to kids, seniors, and families in our communities. Deliver food or fund donations to High Plains Food Bank’s Warehouse, located at 815 Ross St, on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please pull up to the dock for help unloading and let them know your donations are for “Scouting for Food.” Bring your donations Saturday, March 22nd, Scouts, and volunteers will accept food and fund at the HPFB Warehouse dock from 9 a.m. to Noon. High Plains Food Bank’s top food needs include peanut butter, pasta/sauce, boxed dinners, and canned items including soups, fruits, vegetables, and meats. To confirm that your neighborhood is scheduled for pickup, please call the Golden Spread Council of Boy Scouts of America office at 806-358-6500. Once the troops and packs finish collecting non-perishable food from their assigned neighborhoods, they will deliver all donations to HPFB.  Food is weighed as it arrives, from approximately 9:00 AM to noon, with peak activity around 10 AM. For more information or media interviews, please contact Zivorad Filipovic, director of marketing and communications for High Plains Food Bank at 806-350-1427 or zivorad@hpfb.org About Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America is one of the nation’s largest and most prominent values-based youth development organizations, providing programs for young people that build character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating, citizenship, and develop personal fitness. For more than 100 years, Boy Scouts of America has helped build future leaders by combining educational activities and lifelong values with fun. Golden Spread Council Mission: The mission of the Golden Spread Council is to serve today’s youth and aid them in their endeavors to be prepared to face the challenges and opportunities of life, by instilling values through Scouting that will last for a lifetime. Our purpose is to provide strong, values-based programs that strengthen character, develop good citizenship, and enhance both mental and physical fitness. Our objective is to accomplish the mission of the BSA and provide Scouting values to the maximum number of youth in every community we serve. About High Plains Food Bank Since 1982, High Plains Food Bank has strived to alleviate hunger in the Texas Panhandle. Currently, 1 in 6 neighbors, including 1 in 5 kids, experiences food insecurity. HPFB and 135+ partner food pantries and meal programs provide access to healthy food, education, and other resources across 29 counties to help neighbors establish food security, improve their health, and thrive. In 2024, HPFB distributed 8.4 million pounds of food through the network. *High Plains Food Bank is an equal opportunity provider.  About Feeding America Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.  

Walmart and Sam’s Club Fight Hunger. Spark Change Campaign Returns to the Texas Panhandle to Help People Facing Hunger Taking place in stores, clubs and online, the 12th annual campaign supports local hunger relief efforts AMARILLO, Texas – March 4, 2025 – For the 12th straight year, all U.S. Walmart stores and Sam’s Club locations are launching the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, including right here in the Texas Panhandle. The goal of the annual cause marketing campaign is to provide people facing hunger with access to the food and resources they say they need to thrive. Here’s how it works: The campaign will run in stores and online from March 1-March 31, with three ways for shoppers to participate: By donating at check-out in stores or clubs or round up at Walmart.com and the Walmart app. By purchasing participating products* in-store or online at Walmart.com or SamsClub.com. For every purchase of a participating product, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent** of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America partner food bank at Walmart and five meals ($0.50) at Sam’s Club, up to applicable limits. See specially marked packages for full details. By donating at Feeding America’s Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign donation site at either www.feedingamerica.org/walmart or www.feedingamerica.org/samsclub Since its inception in 2014, the campaign has generated more than $206 million and helped secure 2 billion meals* for the Feeding America® network of local food banks. “We are glad to partner with Walmart once again to help us fight food insecurity on the High Plains,” said Zack Wilson, High Plains Food Bank Executive Director. “With over 12,000 households on average served each month, food insecurity rates are the highest they have ever been.” Everyone needs nutritious food to thrive, and in every community in America, people are working hard to provide for themselves and their families. Nationwide an estimated 47.4 million people – 1 in 7 individuals face food insecurity. Locally, 1 in 6 neighbors, including 1 in 5 children do not have reliable access to the food they need to thrive. Those are the highest numbers in a decade, underscoring the need for more charitable food assistance in the Texas Panhandle and beyond. “For the past 20 years, Feeding America, Walmart and Sam’s Club have worked together to fight hunger and help people live better in the communities we serve,” said Julie Gehrki, president, Walmart Foundation and senior vice president, philanthropy at Walmart. “During the Fight Hunger. Spark Change. campaign, we invite our customers and members to join us in providing access to food for our neighbors by supporting High Plains Food Bank.” The 24 participating suppliers for Walmart include: B&G Foods, Inc., Bush Brothers & Company, Celsius, The Coca-Cola Company, Conagra Foods, Dole Packaged Foods, LLC, Ferrero USA, General Mills, Hershey Salty Snacks, Kellanova, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Kodiak, Kraft Heinz, Lipton Tea, Ben’s Original, Materne, Mondelez International, Olipop, Pepsi-Cola Advertising & Marketing, Inc., Hidden Valley Original Ranch, The Hain Celestial Group, WK Kellogg Co, Unilever and Utz Quality Foods The six participating suppliers for Sam’s Club include: Kellanova, Kodiak, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, Nestlé and Unilever For more information, visit: feedingamerica.org/campaigns/fight-hunger-spark-change *Currently, $1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local partner food banks. ** For every purchase of a participating product, the supplier will donate the monetary equivalent of at least one meal ($0.10) on behalf of a Feeding America partner food bank at Walmart and five meals ($0.50) at Sam’s Club, up to applicable limits. See specially marked packages for full details. # # # About High Plains Food Bank   Since 1982, High Plains Food Bank has strived to alleviate hunger in the Texas Panhandle. Currently, 1 in 6 neighbors, including 1 in 5 kids, experiences food insecurity. HPFB and 135+ partner food pantries and meal programs provide access to healthy food, education, and other resources across 29 counties to help neighbors establish food security, improve their health, and thrive. In 2024, HPFB distributed 8.4 million pounds of food through the network.   In addition to providing increased vitality, food banking decreases waste by distributing food that would otherwise go uneaten to people who need it.   *High Plains Food Bank is an equal opportunity provider. About Feeding America Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment. We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger. Visit FeedingAmerica.org to learn more. About Walmart Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better — anytime and anywhere — in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 255 million customers and members visit more than 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2024 revenue of $648 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/walmart, on X (formerly known as Twitter) at twitter.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/walmart. About Sam’s Club Sam’s Club, the $86 billion division of Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is a membership club that is pioneering the retail experience, providing exclusive access to value, convenience and modern omnichannel shopping options to millions of members in 600 clubs across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. With over 40 years of innovating in the category, Sam’s Club continues to redefine

House bill 2946 is needed to help make Texans healthy again. TEXAS – High Plains Food Bank joins the Feeding Texas network of 20 food banks in urging state legislators to pass HB 2946. The “Food is Medicine” bill – filed last week by Texas Rep. Tom Oliverson – would allow for Medicaid reimbursements to cover nutrition support services. Research indicates that nonclinical factors, such as where a person lives, works, and plays, contribute to as much as 80 percent of a person’s health outcomes. Food insecurity is a key driver of health, and as a result, a driver of higher health care costs. The Center for Disease Control suggests that food insecurity adds about $53 billion annually to health care costs in the U.S. “Nutrition and health are deeply connected,” said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, the state association of food banks. “Food insecurity is associated with higher rates of chronic and diet-related diseases and when someone is sick, having to choose between food and treatment can lead to serious complications. Understanding this connection is crucial for developing comprehensive strategies to improve both food security and health care outcomes in our state. Access to healthy and nutritious foods can help to prevent health issues, manage chronic diseases, and lower the associated health costs.” “The intersection of food and health has always been crucial to a healthy lifestyle,” said Zack Wilson, Executive Director of High Plains Food Bank. “By connecting our neighbors with fresh produce, fresh food and many other healthy items, HPFB can be a link to helping to achieve a better lifestyle and helping with food insecurity.” Gov. Greg Abbott signed HB 1575 into law in June 2023. The bill recognizes that non-medical factors impact health outcomes and requires that pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries be screened for non-medical needs. It also offers case management services to connect those beneficiaries with non-medical resources in the community. In response to the new law, Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in Texas began using screening questions developed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to assess the non-medical needs of their pregnant patients.  “In the 2023 legislative session, Texas lawmakers recognized the importance of addressing non-medical drivers of health and took action to improve health outcomes for pregnant patients,” Cole said. “HB 1575 was a promising step in the right direction. With high-risk pregnant Texans now screened for food insecurity, we believe the next step is ensuring that the food and nutrition services resulting from these referrals are also covered by Medicaid.” In addition to following recent statewide actions, HB 2946 aligns with national, bipartisan efforts to invest in “food as medicine” solutions in the Medicaid program. The Feeding Texas network and the Texas Food Policy Roundtable call on lawmakers to authorize the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to pursue Medicaid financing for medically appropriate, cost effective, evidence-based solutions to address non-medical drivers of health. In HB 2946, this would be accomplished via “in-lieu of services” (ILOS). ILOS is a provision that can be added to Medicaid contracts that allow MCOs to substitute Health-Related Social Needs (HRSNs) for traditional medical care. “Health and food are fundamentally linked,” Cole said. “Creating a healthy Texas requires a healthcare system that takes a holistic approach to treating patients and addresses health-related needs beyond just medicine. A streamlined Medicaid reimbursement model that integrates nutrition support services into our healthcare system would enable doctors to prescribe healthy food and improve health outcomes for Texans. This would increase access to healthy foods for patients, scale existing infrastructure, and significantly lower healthcare costs over time.” Feeding Texas is a network of 20 food banks and leads a unified effort for a hunger-free Texas. Learn more and find your local food bank at feedingtexas.org. About High Plains Food Bank Since 1982, High Plains Food Bank has strived to alleviate hunger in the Texas Panhandle. Currently, 1 in 6 neighbors, including 1 in 5 kids, experiences food insecurity. HPFB and 135+ partner food pantries and meal programs provide access to healthy food, education, and other resources across 29 counties to help neighbors establish food security, improve their health, and thrive. In 2024, HPFB distributed 8.4 million pounds of food through the network. In addition to providing increased vitality, food banking decreases waste by distributing food that would otherwise go uneaten to people who need it. *High Plains Food Bank is an equal opportunity provider.