***NEWS RELEASE***

20th Annual Pantry Raid Competition

The 20th annual Pantry Raid competition between Robert E. Lee and John Tyler High School students is underway. For two decades, the students at each school have had a friendly competition to feed hungry East Texans. The students collect food during Pantry Raid for the East Texas Food Bank. The school that collects the most amount of food will earn bragging rights and proudly display the traveling trophy at their school.

In 1991, the East Texas Food Bank and the Tyler Independent School District partnered together for the first Pantry Raid. After the first competition, an editorial in the Tyler Morning Telegraph summed up Pantry Raid best, "This was an event that obviously had no "losers." The biggest "winner" was the East Texas Food Bank which received nearly 30,000 pounds of food as a result of the two-week highly spirited, but friendly, competition."

The past 19 years, the students have collected over 862,000 pounds of food for hungry East Texans. The Pantry Raid results will be announced at the Robert E. Lee and John Tyler football game on Friday, September 10th at the beginning of half-time.

"This year marks the 20th anniversary for Pantry Raid competition and we are so thankful to the students who have continued the tradition of taking action against hunger in our community," said Dennis Cullinane, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank. "The food collected by the students will be given to children, families and seniors who are struggling to put food on their tables."

About East Texas Food Bank
The East Texas Food Bank distributes approximately 17 million pounds of food each year to over 200 partner agencies in 26 East Texas counties. Our vision is for a hunger-free East Texas and our mission is to reduce hunger by providing food, support and education to those in need with passion and efficiency. Our purpose is to ensure that no one in East Texas is forced to go without food. The East Texas Food Bank is a member of Feeding America and the Texas Food Bank Network. To learn more, please visit www.easttexasfoodbank.org.