Texas Group Serves 11,000 Through Electricity and Food Aid

When one crisis can push a family into poverty, a Tyler nonprofit is making sure that doesn't happen to thousands of East Texans.

Love Thy City just celebrated its third annual "Lunch with Friends" event at the Mehling Center, recognizing volunteers who help neighbors keep their lights on and food on their tables. The organization served 11,000 people last year alone.

"We're meeting those physical needs," said DeMarcus Pierson, founder and CEO of Love Thy City. The group provides electricity vouchers, air conditioning units, and household supplies directly to families across East Texas.

The need is real. Up to one in three Texans live paycheck to paycheck, where a single emergency could mean choosing between electricity and groceries. Texas ranks 11th in the nation for poverty, with one in five children affected.

This year's Volunteers of the Year, Donnie and Glinda Howard, have shown up for their community year after year. "If I can help one person to have a better quality of life, then it means so much more," they said.

The event also welcomed new volunteers like Johnny Ortiz, who came looking for ways to serve. "There's a power in unity," Ortiz said. "I can't wait to see who needs the help. Who can we serve? Who can we encourage? Who can we inspire?"

The Ripple Effect

Love Thy City brings together churches, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individual volunteers under one mission: practical help for neighbors in need. What started as a single organization has grown into a collaborative network across East Texas.

The impact goes beyond keeping the lights on. When families don't have to choose between electricity and food, children can focus on school. When seniors get air conditioning units, they stay safe during brutal Texas summers. When one crisis doesn't spiral into poverty, entire families stay stable.

The organization's reach keeps expanding. Over the past two years, thousands of East Texans have received direct assistance, and Love Thy City plans to serve even more communities across the region next year.

Love Thy City is proving that meeting basic needs creates powerful change across entire communities.