You have heard on the news that food pantries are STRUGGLING with families served INCREASING yet food supply is at an all time LOW. Normally, HCCM receives about 60% of its food donated. This number has changed and we are only receiving about 47% of our donated, which means we have to purchase the rest. Typically, HCCM purchases its food through Central Texas Food Bank, at $.10-$.14 per pound… IF we have to pay for it. However, we are not able to get most of our food from CTFB any longer. We have to outsource. Why? Why do we have to purchase food? A LOT of food pantries in Central Texas are having to cut the amount of food they give out. Some pantries have reduced the amount of food they give a family in half because their shelves are bare. Remind you, last year in 2022, HCCM provided food to OVER 91,000 individuals. This was a 20% INCREASE from 2020, a record breaking year for food pantries throughout the country due to the pandemic. Last month, I wrote a check for $10,000 for food. I have been with Hill Country Community Ministries for 7 1/2 years and I have never had to write a check for that much to purchase food. This was so we can keep up with the demand and not reduce the amount of food give out.
We haven’t ended the month of May, and yet we have already seen 91 NEW families visit our food pantry for an emergency food order. These are brand new families who have never had to seek assistance. This is a 52% INCREASE year to date. On a family’s first visit, they will receive an emergency food order. It isn’t much. Though, they receive a welcome letter “glad we can help,” with a list of our Fresh Food for All schedule, our Community Cupboard hours and information. They also receive a list of all of the other local food pantries to get additional food until we can get them back in. On their next visit, a family will meet with a care coordinator, fill out the appropriate paperwork to become an HCCM client. Hill Country Community Ministries never turns anyone away to get food. We know it is VERY humbling to ask for “help.” Yet, we know there are A LOT of stressors in our lives, we don’t want feeding your family to be one of them.
What can “we”, as a community, do? Food drives…. Vocational bible study groups, neighborhood picnic/gatherings/scavenger hunts. Summer camps. Pick 2-3 of your favorite items and host a food drive. You can visit our website www.hccm.org or contact Aaron Renaud aaron.renaud@hccm.org to find out our biggest need. You can donate to the local food pantry by also going to our website and hit the DONATE NOW button.
