As the season of giving begins, many North Texans are feeling the strain of a difficult year. To help meet the growing need, CBS News Texas and our partners at Tom Thumb and Albertsons are expanding the "11 Days of Giving" initiative, now running for 11 days in both November and December.

For these first 11 days, the grocery chain is donating $1,000 each day to food banks across North Texas. On Monday, the contribution went to Sharing Life in Mesquite.

For thousands of families, getting enough to eat isn't guaranteed. Sharing Life works to fill that gap, and for clients like Ageren Payne, the support means everything.

"It means the world, especially because right now I am not working," Payne said.

More than a food bank, Sharing Life also provides clothing, hygiene items, household goods, financial coaching and job assistance.

"We do it by providing dignity with our services," said CEO Teresa Jackson. "They are a guest to us. We get to help them on their journey, and that is a blessing."

The nonprofit not only serves its own clients but also acts as a redistribution hub for the North Texas Food Bank, supplying food to about 100 partner organizations across 35 ZIP codes. Staff say the facility is open five days a week and serves roughly 450 families each day.

"We provide almost 16.5 to 17 million pounds of food every year," Jackson said. "We're serving more people than we ever have in light of the shutdown and the SNAP benefit pause, and so this $1,000 will mean about 3,000 meals."

For families like Payne's, and hundreds more who rely on Sharing Life, that impact is immediate.