Chamber Holiday Food Drive - Greater Houston LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce Foundation

LOOK WHAT WE CAN DO...TOGETHER!

Friday, December 2, 2022
8 - 10 am | 12 - 2 pm | 4 - 6 pm

What a day! The 2022 Holiday Food Drive was absolutely amazing and to see hundreds of people drop off food and donate to the Virtual Food Drive shows the power of community coming TOGETHER to make a difference.

Check out more Holiday Food Drive photos here.

Chamber Holiday Food Drive Impact

The food items donated will fill up all of the Montrose Center's pantries, which serve LGBTQ Houstonians receiving outreach and clinical services, as well as the seniors who make their home in the Law Harrington Senior Living Center!

And this doesn't even include the donations from the Virtual Food Drive that will have even more impact, as well as the donations to be delivered in 2023 from ARCA Continental Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages!

The impact of the Chamber Holiday Food Drive will be felt throughout 2023 thanks to the many organizations and individuals who stepped up to help out this year!

Twenty-two Sponsors and Media Partners stepped up to say we will help including the Chamber Holiday Food Drive Title Sponsor, ARCA Continental Coca Cola Southwest Beverages and Anchor Sponsors, BUDDY'S, Eureka Heights Brewery and SignatureCare ER.

Virtual Food Drive

Individual financial donations were accepted through the Virtual Food Drive. Donations helped support purchases of food for the holiday boxes, food pantry and Montrose Center programs to support LGBTQ+ clients in need.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Chamber Holiday Food Drive this year. It was a HUGE success and, because of our Sponsors, Media Partners and donors, we are making a tremendous impact for LGBTQ+ Seniors this year (and beyond!).

"For the past two years, the Chamber has hosted the Holiday Food Drive to support LGBTQ+ Seniors and others who are in need. We step up because our community needs support. No senior should ever go hungry and we're doing our part to bring community together this holiday season to make sure our LGBTQ+ seniors have food on their tables.

Through the Chamber Holiday Food Drive over the past two years, the Montrose Center has received the largest food drive donations in its history. This is what impact looks like and giving back to community. Look what we can do...TOGETHER!"

- Tammi Wallace, Co-Founder, President & CEO, Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce

"Continuing the tradition of filling holiday food boxes this year for LGBTQ+ Seniors would not be possible without the support of organizations like the Greater Houston LGBT Chamber of Commerce. All of us here at the Montrose Center are truly honored that the Chamber has chosen to host, for the third year, a Holiday Food Drive to supply essential items for our annual Holiday Meals distribution."

- Kennedy Loftin, Chief Development Officer, the Montrose Center

Food Drive FAQ

Why is the Chamber Foundation hosting a Food Drive?

For the Chamber Foundation, the Holiday Food Drive is about community and giving back during the holiday season. As an organization, the Chamber is at the intersection of business + community. We are using our resources to bring together business and community to support LGBTQ+ Seniors this holiday season.

What was the impact of the Chamber Holiday Food Drive in 2021?

In 2021, the Chamber Holiday Food Drive provided 15,789 free meals to LGBTQ+ seniors of the Law Harrington Senior Living Center, an LGBTQ-affirming housing center, and other non-residents through the Montrose Center programs. Read more about the impact of the 2020 Food Drive here.

What is the need for LGBTQ+ Seniors during the holiday season?

The holiday season is a time people gather around festive meals to celebrate and give thanks with family and friends, but for many of our LGBTQ+ community members, this season can be difficult emotionally and financially. With twice as many LGBTQ+ aging alone in relation to their heterosexual and cisgender peers, seniors experiencing food insecurity, face the difficult task of providing a holiday meal while still making sure they have enough groceries for the week.

How will the food raised for LGBTQ+ Seniors be distributed?

In addition to the year-round provision of food and other essential services to clients in crisis, the Montrose Center’s case managers have teamed up over the years to ensure that none of their clients are forgotten during the holidays by creating holiday food boxes with food and other necessities. These food boxes will fill a crucial gap for the Center's LGBTQ+ clients and will be distributed to LGBTQ+ Seniors. Helping our seniors put food on their table is one of the single most effective ways to improve their quality of life under such circumstances.

How has the pandemic impacted the LGBTQ+ community?

The ongoing pandemic has only added to these struggles. Before this pandemic, 1 out of 5 LGBTQ+ adults lived in food poverty with our seniors representing additional food insecurity. Now this vulnerable demographic continues to face unique hardships, like unemployment, isolation, inability to access culturally competent physical and mental healthcare, and increasing food insecurity.

Learn more about the impact of the 2021 Chamber Holiday Food Drive and why giving back made such a difference for LGBTQ+ Seniors.