Soldiers from Fort Bliss rally together to aid El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – About 150 military personnel from Fort Bliss volunteered Saturday at El Pasoans Fighting Hunger to process food and assemble supply boxes for local residents facing hunger.

The single-day volunteer effort is taking place at the food bank's facility, located at 9541 Plaza Circle in El Paso.

Fort Bliss Garrison Commander Col. Michael Soyka and El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Interim CEO Kris Yagel welcomed the military personnel before volunteer duties began.

Participants spent the morning sorting and processing food to assist those in the community that face food insecurity.

U.S. Army soldiers are volunteering to distribute food alongside El Pasoans Fighting Hunger to assist local residents facing food shortages. The military outreach comes as community organizers work to meet sustained demand for essential grocery items across the region.

The local need for food assistance remains high across the border community. Kris Yagel, interim CEO of El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, stated that food insecurity in El Paso has reached 40%, a figure that is twice the national average.

Yagel emphasized that volunteer support from military members plays a essential role in helping the organization prepare for upcoming distribution needs.

“We're at 40% food insecurity in El Paso,” Yagel said. “Partnerships like this absolutely get us ahead for the weeks that follow. And so it is critical.”

For the participating service members, volunteering offers a way to connect directly with the community outside of standard military duties.

Sgt. Jax Myers, a sergeant in the U.S. Army, noted that outreach initiatives give the public a clearer perspective on the armed forces.

“Having service like this and outreach programs really, I think, paints a better picture sometimes of what the military is truly about,” Myers said.

The volunteer effort also reflects a history of mutual support between the food bank and local service members.

Col. Soyka recalled how El Pasoans Fighting Hunger stepped in to assist military families during a federal funding lapse.

“El Paso is fighting hunger came out to help us in our time of need when we had the government shutdown,” Soyka said. “They brought food in from all over the country to make sure they had enough to be able to support the need. When we thought when we were going to get paid.”

Service members participate in food distribution following regular training duties, helping hand out staple items such as oranges, potatoes and canned goods to waiting lines of residents.

Myers emphasized the personal dedication required to help local families facing financial hardship. “People being hungry is never okay,” Myers said. “So by any means, by any cost, even if it's just time, if it's my time, knowing that it could potentially help somebody in a spot of poverty like that is really unique and cool.”