Buckner surpasses 100 tons of domestic aid during pandemic
During the global pandemic, Buckner International has collected and distributed more than 100 tons of domestic aid product, including food, PPE and school supplies. All 100 tons were collected and sorted at the Buckner Center for Humanitarian Aid locations in Dallas and the Rio Grande Valley before being distributed by Buckner Children and Family Services programs across Texas, including Dallas, Houston, Lubbock, Mission and Peñitas.
The 102.2 tons of pandemic relief aid shipments consisted of 76.5 tons of non-perishable food; 1.8 tons of PPE, including masks and gloves; and 23.9 tons of news school supplies and backpacks.
The big milestone was marked by a small ceremony on Thursday in Dallas, where the 10 Buckner employees who were primarily responsible for managing the shipments received commemorative pins reading, “100% through 100 tons.”
The socially distanced ceremony included four employees honored virtually due to geographical distance.
"One-hundred tons is a big number. To put that in perspective, it is the equivalent weight of a blue whale or a Boeing 757," said Albert Reyes, president and CEO of Buckner International, who was on hand to present the pins to the employees.
"COVID-19 has made those already vulnerable in our communities even more in need of compassion and support," he continued. "I am in awe of our volunteers and donors who have stepped up to help provide aid, and I am in awe of our Buckner employees who worked tirelessly to make sure the food and supplies reached families in a safe and timely manner.”
Buckner was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from OneStar Foundation to support the work Buckner is doing serving children and families during the coronavirus pandemic. The grant was part of a larger $920,000 sum deployed from the Texas COVID-19 Relief Fund to 16 organizations working to directly support the most vulnerable and underserved across the state.
Throughout the pandemic, Buckner continued its domestic programs and services for children and families around Texas. Buckner adopted new methods of helping clients, including virtual classes and activities, telehealth visits, virtual adoptions and drive-through food and supplies distributions.
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