While most think of this time of year as merry, one man begs to differ.
"There was a time in my life when I really didn't know where my next meal was coming from and I had to ask for change on the streets,” said Carter Robinson.
After months of eating people's leftovers at restaurants and asking stranger's for change Carter finally got back on his feet
"Knowing what it's like to be hungry and having been through literally not knowing if I was going to have a meal the next day, I’d really like to see no one go through that.”
And that is why Carter, the food and fund drive manager at the Food Bank of the RGV has made it his personal mission to eliminate hunger.
"It's not a crime and it's not a sin to be hungry and ask for help," he said. "My personal opinion is this is Texas. We grow our own food, we grow our own beef, we grow our own vegetables, No one should go to bed hungry in Texas.”
A job Carter and the Food Bank is working hard on.
"We are moving heaven and earth. Right now we're distributing through our agencies over a million meals a month,” said Carter.
And while the donations pile in, there's a constant increase in the number of mouths to feed.
This once man in need knows first-hand how it feels to be hungry, and is encouraging others to make positive changes.
"I would tell everyone out there that it will get better," Robinson said. "Just keep your faith, work hard. It will get better."
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT