Warren Coble, the Executive Director of Hilltop Senior Citizens Center, said this is a “dream come true.” Thanks to a generous $300,000 donation from the High Plains Food Bank, the center is set to undergo significant upgrades that will help them better serve the Amarillo community.
“This is one of the amazing things that you dream about. You just dream about it,” Coble said with a broad smile. “They chose us, and I don’t know how they did it, I don’t know why they did it, but it’s help. It’s going to be a great, great avenue for the city of Amarillo, because we serve all over. I’m so grateful.”
The donation, part of a grant through Feeding America—a national network that includes the High Plains Food Bank—will enable Hilltop to make much-needed improvements to their facility. The primary focus will be expanding on the north side of the building. This addition will be 14 feet wide by 45 feet long and will be dedicated solely to food storage, with space for refrigerators and other essential equipment.
“When they first came in, they said, ‘Think big, think big,’” Coble explained. “This expansion will be key in helping us keep up with the growing demand for food assistance in the area.”
Zack Wilson, Executive Director of the High Plains Food Bank, shared that the funding is a major boon for both Hilltop and the food bank itself. “When we got notification that we were going to receive this funding through the network, it’s not something that we applied for,” Wilson said. “It was directed to us, and we were like, ‘Wow, this will be a game-changer.’”
That sentiment is especially important as the food bank has seen a dramatic increase in demand this year. According to Wilson, the number of households served by the High Plains Food Bank in 2024 has reached unprecedented levels. “In May of this year, we served over 17,000 households in just one month. That beats the numbers we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2008-2009 economic crisis. Right now, we’re averaging a little over 12,000 households every month,” he said.
This surge in demand comes at a time when food donations have been dwindling, creating additional challenges for food assistance programs. Wilson emphasized that support from local communities is more crucial than ever. “We’ve got schools, we’ve got civic groups, we’ve got businesses, teams that come out and volunteer,” he said. “We need all the help we can get.”
Coble echoed those remarks, stressing that public support for the High Plains Food Bank is directly tied to the ability to provide food to those in need. “If the public doesn’t support the food bank, then I can’t get the food to the people who need it,” Coble said. “So it needs you to do this.”
With the new expansion set to increase storage and operational capacity, Hilltop Senior Citizens Center will be better equipped to serve the growing number of seniors and families in need throughout the Amarillo area. But both organizations recognize that the road ahead will require ongoing community involvement.
For more information on how you can help, or to volunteer with either Hilltop Senior Citizens Center or the High Plains Food Bank, visit their websites or contact Hilltop Senior Citizens Center at 806-376-9511.
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