Fish and Loaves tells Taylor council it distributed 3.5 million pounds of food in 2025

Stephanie McNeese, executive director of Fish and Loaves Community Food Pantry, presented the pantry's 2025 impact to the Taylor City Council, emphasizing the scale of local need and the nonprofit's reliance on volunteers and fundraising.

McNeese said Fish and Loaves distributed 3,500,000 pounds of food last year, serving about 90,000 individuals and 45,000 households across seven communities. "Taylor residents continuously account for 41% of our service," McNeese said, noting the pantry distributed over 1,000,000 pounds within Taylor itself. She told council the pantry spends roughly $250,000 annually to purchase food and that most operations are volunteer-run; she said she is the pantry's only full-time employee.

McNeese described the pantry's two largest programs as a client-choice food pantry and a Saturday fresh market, and she invited council members and residents to volunteer, host food drives or make donations. "Our entire organization is powered by volunteers," she said. Council members thanked McNeese and volunteers for their work; one council member noted the pantry's dignity-centered approach to service and encouraged residents to donate or volunteer.

Why it matters

The pantry's figures indicate sustained and substantial demand for food assistance in Taylor and neighboring communities. Council members used the presentation to highlight local nonprofit capacity and community partnership opportunities.

What to watch for

McNeese asked the community to support volunteer recruitment, in-kind donations and fundraising to sustain the pantry. She noted a drop-off location at the Taylor Library and requested continued publicity and collaboration from the city.

Attribution

Direct quotes in this article are attributed to Stephanie McNeese, who introduced herself as executive director of Fish and Loaves in the meeting transcript.