Food insecurity is reaching a critical level in Harlingen, where city leaders said some of the food pantries in the area are now turning families away.

Volunteers at the Harlingen Neighborhood Food Pantry said they've had to cut back from serving 180 families to 150 because the pantry can't keep up with demand.

“Right now, the RGV Food Bank is struggling,” Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda said. “They do not have the resources to be able to provide food to our pantries here in the city of Harlingen.”

Juanita Stringfield with the newly-formed Harlingen Hunger Coalition said the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley hasn't had enough funding to keep up with demand. 

“The goal is to start getting funds to the food bank that has their funds depleted so they cannot supply the amount of food that we need for the demand in our area,” Stringfield said.

The coalition's goal is to raise $150,000, all of it earmarked for Harlingen only, to help the food bank restock local pantries immediately.

“There is no room for a community to have hungry children or hungry families. There is none,” Stringfield said.

Volunteers said they're hoping the new campaign will help them get back to serving every family who shows up.

Click here to donate to the coalition.

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