Texas Border Business
PHARR, Texas – The Food Bank RGV will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the first official produce sorting using its newly installed conveyor belt. Made possible through a generous donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, this new equipment will enhance our ability to serve families across Cameron, Hidalgo, and Willacy counties.
“Our work is centered on making sure families across the Rio Grande Valley have consistent access to fresh, healthy food,” said Libby A. Saenz, CEO of Food Bank RGV. “This new conveyor system allows us to work more efficiently, expand our reach, and better serve our neighbors.”
The new conveyor belt will support the Food Bank RGV in many ways, helping us more efficiently sort fresh produce and expand our ability to provide food to neighbors across multiple programs, including our Colonia Delivery Program. Through this program, we provide weekly, door-to-door food deliveries to colonias throughout our service area, often handling thousands of pounds of fresh produce that must be sorted before distribution. Due to time and staffing limitations, we have historically been able to serve between 50 and 75 households per day, with the manual sorting process being one of the biggest challenges.
The system includes wide belts and rollers to sort different produce sizes, a chainless motor with adjustable speed, and a built-in spinner to help inspect fruits and vegetables more efficiently. Together, these features will streamline operations, reduce physical strain on staff, and improve the overall speed and consistency of sorting.
With these improvements, we anticipate faster turnaround times for each distribution, increased frequency of deliveries, improved staff safety, especially during the summer months, and the ability to reallocate staff to expand services. Ultimately, this investment will allow us to reach more families and ensure the produce we distribute meets the highest quality standards.
When: Friday, April 10, 2026| 2:00pm – 3:00pm.
Where: Food Bank RGV | 724 N. Cage Blvd., Pharr, TX 78577 | Main Warehouse
Media Opportunities: Interviews, video, and photo opportunities with Food Bank RGV leadership.
For more information: Rosie Martinez, Manager of Marketing and Communications, rosiemartinez@foodbankrgv.com ofc: 956-904-4544 cell: 956-328-9257
