Good Samaritans of Garland

Good Samaritans of Garland “Good Sam” is committed to our mission of feeding, helping, and serving our community through direct food assistance and collaborative partnerships. We do this by providing bi-weekly supplemental nutritious food assistance for our hungry and food-insecure neighbors in a judgment free environment with kindness and respect. Additionally, we provide our unhoused neighbors with a weekly “To Go” bag of easy-to-open, easy-to-eat foods.

Good Sam has passionately taken up the fight against hunger in partnership with the North Texas Food Bank, retail stores and community food donations. Of note, 45% of financial donations are received from individuals who trust and believe in our mission and are equally committed to ending hunger. Good Sam operates with no federal or city funding. We also purchase food to ensure balanced, healthy food for our guests. These partnerships ensure that every individual and family receive a cart of food, filled with pantry dry goods, produce, dairy, meat, and bread.

With rent, fuel, utilities, and food prices on the rise, our guests are struggling to provide adequate, nutritious food for their families with so many competing priorities. Families, especially with young children, are struggling to provide enough safe and healthy food for normal growth and development.

In fiscal year 2023, we served 48,450 households, an increase of 48% over fiscal year 2022. In the first half of  2024, we are again showing substantial growth in households served, with an average of 1,049 households served weekly, an increase of 35% over the first half 2023. Year to date in 2024 we have served over 35,000 individuals and 550 unhoused neighbors.

Significantly, 35% of the individuals we serve are children. This number moved us, and in turn, we created a partnership with Garland Independent school District (GISD) and established the “Student Weekend Bags” program. GISD identifies students with the greatest need and Good Sam provides nutritious, kid-friendly, and easy to prepare food for at least 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 snacks (with some added goodies) on Fridays during the school year to bridge the hunger gap.

As we strive to address the pressing issue of hunger in our community, we are excited to extend an invitation to you to partner with us in this vital endeavor. At Good Samaritans, we are deeply committed to making a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and families facing food insecurity, and we believe that by joining forces with like-minded organizations, we can amplify our impact. Helen Keller says it best, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”

We hope you are able to join us in supporting our neighbors in need for North Texas Giving Day!