SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Food Bank fights hunger year-round, and for Hunger Action Month, KSAT 12 is showing how food is helping children thrive and learn.
Elizabeth Morales of the Office of Family and Community Engagement at Burbank High School said the donated food has significantly impacted the students’ lives.
“We had a lot of students, especially after COVID, that lost a lot of family members that were in charge of the household, and they had nowhere to go,” Morales said. “During that time, a lot of services that were provided and let’s deliver to the house to make sure they actually eat and that’s when we discovered so many situations,” Morales said.
SAISD, in partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank, has hosted several food distribution events to help families in need over the last few years.
Students, including Burbank High School senior Jose Herrera, have also gotten involved in giving back.
“I know that when I’m hungry, and I eat, even though it’s something small like an apple or a banana, it fills me up,” Herrera said. “Having that feeling of not having anything in your stomach, it feels horrible. You feel sick. You feel nauseous.”
Herrera wants to make sure people in our community don’t experience hunger and is one of the students taking action against hunger. It’s a topic close to his heart.
“Me and my family used to live in a shelter, so we do know about that struggle,” Herrera said. “Having to be home at a certain time and not knowing if we were going to eat that day. Not knowing if we are going to have money for clothes for school, supplies.”
Herrera says they are in a better situation today and now focus on giving back.
He joined his football teammates to help distribute food the San Antonio Food Bank provided.
“I have teammates that have been there before, that I’ve known for a while, that have been through that struggle,” Herrera said. “So, we share our stories while we are out there. We will talk to the people too. Have little conversation with them. Get to know them so they can leave with a smile.”
KSAT is hosting a hungry action town hall on Friday at 2:30 p.m., where you will hear from the San Antonio Food Bank leaders and learn how to give back.