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Last year, in the United States looked to food banks and food pantries for support, according to a 2023 report from Feeding America. The end of COVID-era government assistance programs and the rising cost of groceries due to inflation have many Americans facing food insecurity.

According to a 2023 Department of Agriculture report, 12.8% of households around the country—about 17 million—were . That's up from the 10.2% of households who had difficulty providing food for everyone in their home in 2021, and also up from the 10.5% who said the same in 2020. It's the highest share of food-insecure households in the U.S. since 2014.

The rise of food insecurity and the economic situation in the U.S. means that food banks are struggling to keep up with the demand. "Local food banks, pantries, and community meal programs have become an essential component of many households' food budgets, especially as we continue to face increased food prices and the end of pandemic-era benefits," Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America, accompanying the nonprofit's aforementioned report. In an earlier 2023 survey from Feeding America, 65% of responding food banks reported an .

It can be difficult to know where to go if you want to help, as many do during the holiday season in particular. To help guide you, compiled a list of food bank volunteer opportunities near Dallas using data from . Read on to see what you can do for those grappling with food insecurity in your community, from distributing lunches to seniors to serving meals at soup kitchens.

Regional Director Dallas-Fort Worth
- Organization: CitiIMPACT
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VNA Meals on Wheels - Meal Delivery Volunteers Needed
- Organization: VNA Texas
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Student Opportunity--Help Fight Hunger Around America's Breakfast Tables
- Organization: CEREAL4ALL INC
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Provide a meal for families staying at RMHD
- Organization: Ronald McDonald House of Dallas
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Volunteers Needed to Rescue Food & Fight Hunger In Dallas!
- Organization: Rescuing Leftover Cuisine Inc
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Community Food Distribution
- Organization: RESOLUTION FAMILY MINISTRY
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Change lives - Become a Food Pantry volunteer!!!
- Organization: Wilkinson Center
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MHH Day Center Volunteer
- Organization: MANY HELPING HANDS
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Food Pantry Restocker
- Organization: Jewish Family Service
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Help a Neighbor in the Garland, TX area with a Homemade Meal
- Organization: Lasagna Love
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We Need More Cooks in the Kitchen! (Kitchen Volunteers Needed)
- Organization: Volunteers in Plano
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Help feed your community!
- Organization: The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs Plano Corps
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Bread Runner
- Organization: Christian Community Action
- Dates: Oct 12 to Jan 8
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Spread Love, Joy, and Frosting as a volunteer baker in Plano, TX!
- Organization: FOR GOODNESS CAKES
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Mobile Market Truck Driver
- Organization: ARLINGTON CHARITIES INC
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Patient Snack Bags Needed
- Organization: PediPlace
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Feed the Homeless! Provide a Meal - Group Opportunity
- Organization: Arlington Life Shelter
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Feed My Starving Children Packing Sessions - Richardson, TX
- Organization: Feed My Starving Children
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Prayer Team Warrior
- Organization: SoupMobile
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This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 101 metros.