Food Scholarship Program

Finding Food Pantry Resources Near You

As the need presents itself, you may seek to secure additional food to supplement what your family has in their household. The Houston Food Bank has a huge listing of resources that covers the greater Houston area. All you need to do is enter your Zip Code.

About the Program

TWU Houston has entered into a relationship with the Houston Food Bank in a Food Scholarship Program. For students who participate in the program, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat products, as well as non-perishable items will be delivered to TWU from the Houston Food Bank twice each month on the first and third Tuesday.

Students in the Food Scholarship program will leave TWU with one bag of perishable items, and one with non-perishable items to take home and eat. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to develop healthier eating habits with a strong balance of fruits and vegetables in their daily diet. Good eating has a direct impact on cognitive abilities, and it is our hope that the Food for Scholarship program will assist individuals in moving through their academic program successfully.

Eligibility

For students to participate in the Food Scholarship Program, you must be enrolled at TWU. We understand there is a delicate balance of finances when attending classes, and it can take only one unexpected situation to throw off the daily operational formula that had been so carefully crafted. With a reliable provision of healthy food you can count on two times a month, another building block of success is placed in the foundation to undergird your success. Your attention and focus can be portioned on other priorities that advance you through your academic program and personal life.

How to Get Started

If interested, please get in touch with Deborah Unruh at FoodScholarshipProgram@twu.edu. A baseline survey from the Houston Food Bank will be emailed to you at that time, and questions can be explored one-on-one.

Distribution Day

Bring the tote bags (2) given from the former distribution
Distribution is held from 4:00 p.m. through 7:00 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Bring your vehicle around to the TWU loading dock area, across from Bank of America, on Old Main Street. We will meet you there with items for the choosing placed on several wire carts. Volunteers are available to assist with selection, as well as to grab items from the freezers and refrigerators inside the building and take to your vehicle. As always, if you are not able to meet on those distribution days, please get in touch with Deb at dunruh@twu.edu to arrange another day/time that is more convenient for you.

Impact of the Program

For so many students, participating in the Food Scholarship Program has been critical to their success at TWU. One of our students was recently highlighted in the 19^th Annual Chef’s Dinner – a fundraiser for the Houston Food Bank on Wednesday, April 17^th, 2019. You can hear more about her personal journey in this video.

Transcript for Video (pdf)

Helpful Links

As you explore ways to a nutritious, healthier lifestyle, you may want to reference some wonderful resources that may guide you smoothly along the way.

The BBC has a set of videos that demonstrate some of the basics of preparing and cooking a wide range of foods.

The Houston Food Bank offers a “How To” Video Series in the basics of food preparation while offering delicious recipes.

As we purchase groceries, we want to make the most of what we have bought, making it last as long as we can. It is sometimes a challenge to know when it is still safe to prepare/eat items. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has a mobile app that is quite handy in detailing what to look for in the freshness of items. We invite you to upload this convenient app to your phone for handy reference.

SNAP

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families so they can purchase healthy food and move towards self-sufficiency. If interested in finding out more about eligibility criteria and how to apply for SNAP, please reference information through SNAP's website.

Page last updated 1:05 PM, March 10, 2023