Tarrant Area Food Bank tells local agencies it will no longer hold monthly drive-thru community pantry.
- Jun 22
- 1 min read
Special to Beneath the Surface News
The Tarrant Area Food Bank has decided to cancel the 3rd Thursday drive-thru community pantry that has been held in Stephenville since 2018.
In a letter to local agencies, TAFB stated that there are plenty of brick and mortar food pantries in Stephenville, and the drive-thru is not needed.
The last drive-thru pantry will be held in August.
The drive-thru pantry was started after multiple requests to the Food Bank.
They deliver several pallets of food via an 18-wheeler to the parking lot near First Baptist Church.
Volunteers with the various local food pantries work together to get the food set up, sorted, bagged and ready.
Then, community members drive through, and volunteers load the cars with food.
The drive-through pantry gave out more than 143,000 pounds of food (mainly fresh produce) in 2025 to over 3,100 families.
Local food pantries include:
HOPE - 254-965-2700, operates 5 days per week, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Grace Place - 254-965-4022, operates 4 days per week (Mondays noon-3 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday 9 a.m.-12 p.m.)
Basic Needs - 254-965-5552, food pantry operates one day per week (Thursdays 9 a.m.-12 p.m.); they are open additional days for other services
St Luke's food pantry - 254-968-6949, operates two Tuesdays per month following 2nd and 4th Monday.
This is disappointing news for many Stephenville residents who have relied on the 3rd Thursday drive-thru pantry since 2018. While brick-and-mortar food pantries are valuable, accessibility and convenience still matter for families facing transportation or scheduling challenges. Hopefully, local agencies can work together to ensure no one loses access to essential food assistance. Community support remains important, much like the welcoming atmosphere associated with crumbl waterford.