Community

Our commitment to giving back through Special Programs

Share Our Strength’s Operation Frontline

It takes more than food to fight hunger!

Operation Frontline is a national nutrition education program developed to address food insecurity and hunger. Beginning in the Fall of 2001, the Houston Food Bank partnered with Share Our Strength to bring 'Operation Frontline' to Houston. Fiesta Mart and Tyson Foods are the major sponsors for this cause. Fiesta donated new kitchen cookware and utensils to each of the teaching facilities plus all the food used during class.

The six-class series is taught at a shelter, church kitchen or food pantry. Each lesson focuses on a specific theme such as healthy snacking, stretching food dollars, food safety, and eating more fruits and vegetables. Local volunteer chefs create and demonstrate nutritious and cost-efficient recipes for participants to learn and try at home. Students then take home a goodie bag filled with ingredients, so they can share the recipes with their families.

As part of the series, students receive a $10 gift certificate from Fiesta Mart. They then go to the store, as a group, and learn how to spend the certificate in the most economical way. Nutritionists teach them how to read labels, comparison shop and plan meals. Class participants are also presented a notebook filled with easy-to-make healthful recipes such as Lentil and Rice Pilaf, Chinese Vegetables and Rice, Herb Roasted Chicken with Vegetables and Two-Bean Chili.

For more information about Operation Frontline, contact: Terri Moore, C.C., Operation Frontline Coordinator: 713-547-8644, tmoore@secondharvest.org.