VIA and the San Antonio Food Bank are partnering to help make sure homebound residents do not go hungry during these challenging times. VIA operators are currently delivering meals and supplies prepared by Food Bank staff and volunteers to homes and distribution points Monday through Friday throughout San Antonio. (San Antonio Food Bank, 2020)

Since VIA joined the Food Bank’s mission to “fight hunger and feed hope,” operators have distributed more than 650 food packages to nearly 500 locations throughout the city. VIA has continued to operate transit service in a safe environment as part of its COVID-19 response that includes a fare-relief period for all VIA services through April 30 and safe capacity limits on its buses and vans to help maintain social distancing for passengers and operators.

The San Antonio Food Bank serves an estimated 60,000 individuals each week in one of the largest service areas in Texas. That was before the coronavirus shuttered hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs, leaving many with little resources and few options.

The immense need for local food assistance became abundantly clear when 10,000 people formed long lines and waited several hours to receive rations from the Food Bank’s popup distribution at Trader’s Village on Thursday, April 9. Volunteers and City staff handed out one million pounds of food that day—just one of several distributions the Food Bank staged last week.

VIA’s collaboration with the Food Bank marks the launch of its VIA Cares Program, an extension of its effort to connect our community by organizing available resources to help make ends meet for neighbors in need. Other VIA Cares initiatives that kicked off this month focus on providing Wi-Fi access for students through a partnership with the City of San Antonio, San Antonio Housing Authority and San Antonio ISD and matching VIA volunteers with opportunities to serve. More about VIA’s crisis response is available online.

VIA will continue to deliver food bank supplies as long as resources are available. If you are home bound and in need of food, please call the San Antonio Food Bank at (210) 431-8326 to pre-register or click the link at the Food Bank’s home page and sign up online.

“So many are suffering and struggling in this new environment of COVID-19. Our partnership with VIA and VIAtrans will ease the hunger pains of seniors and those with disabilities by bringing grocery products and household supplies right to their doorstep. This type of innovation and partnership is San Antonio at its finest.” Eric Cooper, President/CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank