SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Food Bank is a vital part of our community, helping thousands of families every week.
On Tuesday, the food bank opened a new facility that is designed to help children in our area and also broke ground on an affordable housing project. The food bank is fighting a summer food crisis as well.
“I enjoy helping the food bank prepare the meals for the kids and stuff and everything and we’re doing it for a good cause,” Monica Archibard, a volunteer said.
Monica is one of the dozens of volunteers at the new Najim Children’s Kitchen. It’s part of the Mays Family Culinary Center, which is a 60,000 square feet facility designed to be a place for helping.
“It’s a struggle. A quarter million kids in our region are at risk for hunger in any given month,” Michael Guerra, Food Bank chief resource officer said.
The facility however wasn’t the only exciting announcement: the food bank is breaking ground on an affordable housing project.
“Next door on the New Braunfels Food Bank we’re groundbreaking a new housing effort, Apple Seeds Apartments. It is a unique effort dedicated really to families with kids who are currently working in nearby homes but just can’t afford to live there,” Guerra said.
The Food Bank’s mission is to fight poverty and the organization is looking at housing, education and employment opportunities to help the families.
“This is an effort to get them living in New Braunfels, help them become financially secure through some programs that we’re going to do within three years, and graduate them so that they can be stable. And living full-time in New Braunfels,” Guerra said.
It is an exciting time to help grow and aid more families but the food bank also needs help because the summer months are especially crucial.
“We’ve seen donor fatigue set in with our volunteers. And so what we’re really hoping for is to see a wave of kids and families, people who may be out for the summer who want to do some extra volunteerism,” Guerra said.
If you are interested in volunteering, click here.