A Vision of a Hunger-Free North
The late Jan Pruitt first felt a calling to serve others more than three decades ago . As a stay-at-home mother of four she knew she wanted to set an example for her children and , after a conversation with her priest about the great need for support and leadership in her local community , she eventually found her way to the Lancaster Outreach Center , a North Texas Food Bank Partner Agency near her home . She took the helm of the organization and dedicated her life to those in need . After serving the community of Lancaster for 11 years as the Outreach Center ’ s CEO , followed by a brief stint as executive director of the Texas Food Bank Network , Jan began her 20-year career with the North Texas Food Bank as its CEO .
When she came aboard in 1997 , she oversaw the distribution of 11 million meals . By 2016 , the number grew to an amazing 70 million nutritious meals . But , as someone who deeply understood hunger in our community , Jan knew even this accomplishment — while impressive — wasn ’ t enough to feed everyone who is struggling to put food on the table in North Texas .
“ I have dedicated my life to ending hunger because I believe this challenge constitutes the most agonizing moral and humanitarian problem of our day ,” she proclaimed .
“ The Food Bank of the future will pioneer , innovate and continue to expand our capacity … The co-existence of affluence and poverty , of hunger and abundance , so closely in our communities is a continual reminder that our work is not finished .”
- JAN PRUITT , Former President & CEO
Jan , in accepting the John Van Hengel Award in 2012 , shared her thoughts on the importance of continuing to expand food banking across the
country : “ America needs us now more than ever , and her eyes are upon you , waiting and watching and counting on us to be relevant in the warp speed of change rushing in and around us . In these times we must set outlandish goals , anticipate continuous systemic change , apply new information and achieve milestones unheard of before .”
6 Around the Table