Tag: Food drives

North Star Mall food drive to benefit San Antonio Food Bank

North Star Mall be be hosting a food drive on Friday October 30 during which those who donate five or more items will receive a Cowboy Boots Fiesta Medal. Photo: North Star Mall, used with permission.

North Star Mall is holding a food drive on Friday, October 30 from 10a.m. to 4p.m. to benefit the San Antonio Food Bank.  A San Antonio Food Bank truck and red donation bins will be on site to receive food items all under gray tents with orange trim — the orange symbolizing hunger awareness — at the corner of Rector and San Pedro. North Star Mall staff and volunteers from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Society for Design Administration (SDA) will man the contactless collection point.  While supplies last, they will also be handing out a commemorative, limited edition, Fiesta Medal of its iconic Cowboy Boots, including stars that light-up, to those donating five items or more. (North Star Mall, 2020)

The San Antonio Food Bank’s 12 most wanted foods are: peanut butter, cereal, tuna, beans, rice, mac ‘n cheese, canned chili and soups, baby food, canned meats, pet food, full meals boxed or canned and pop top food items.

The San Antonio Food Bank is a 501c3 non-profit organization providing millions of pounds of food to over 500 charitable organizations in Southwest Texas. In addition to food distribution, the San Antonio Food Bank provides numerous programs that not only solve the immediate problems of hunger, but help individuals and families gain long-term food security.

 “We created the medal to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the World’s Largest Cowboy Boots, along with the memory of its creator, the late Bob ‘Daddy-O’ Wade. It was our intent to offer the medals during Fiesta, but no one could foresee the impact of COVID-19. The pandemic also affected our ability to host CANstruction, an event where we would have typically partnered with architects, engineers and contractor teams representing the San Antonio chapters of the AIA and SDA. The event benefits the SA Food Bank during Hunger Action Month. This is our way of giving back to the community and helping such a worthy cause.” – Brenda Crawford, Sr. General Manager, North Star Mall.

San Antonio Food Bank’s ‘Neighbor Helping Neighbor’

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The San Antonio Food Bank launched its ‘Neighbor Helping Neighbor’ to reach out to individuals and families in need. Photo: Google

After a two-week effort to front-load low-income households with groceries and household supplies, the San Antonio Food Bank is launching a new phase in its coronavirus response: the Neighbor Helping Neighbor relief effort. (San Antonio Food Bank, 2020)

The core components of this effort are two-fold: 1) ensuring every kitchen table in Southwest Texas has the core food items needed to get through this crisis; and, 2) ensuring that all our neighbors who might be elderly and living alone get a visit. The Food Bank will be adding mobile, grab-and-go meals and food distributions daily throughout Southwest Texas. Their website has up-to-date information on how and where individuals can get help.

With the economy suffering and San Antonio already struggling with the highest poverty rate in the country, the Food Bank is prepared to grow with the expanded need. The Food Bank’s website is the best place for information on how to give help. Volunteers are still in need, and one does not need to leave their house to be a good neighbor: every $1 provides 10 pounds of food/supplies to “Neighbor helping Neighbor.” The Food Bank is emphasizing that money donations are preferred over food donations; this allows the Food Bank to target specific items in specific quantity.

“This great city of ours has always been a city of compassion, and our state is known for its hospitality. The crisis in our midst is an opportunity for us to shine and lend support during a neighbor’s season of need. We may have a neighbor near us without food or without a family member to visit and check on them. “Neighbor helping Neighbor” is about stocking the shelf and filling the heart.” – Eric Cooper, President & CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank

As for visits to the elderly and making sure that social isolation is minimized for our older neighbors, Cooper admits it is been something they started to do in the last year, thanks to funding from Humana, and that they learned a lot: “We have been setting the tables for seniors for years, but making home visits to thousands of seniors in the last year or so has reminded us that a table full of food can be empty of love if someone doesn’t have a friend or neighbor. We want our relief effort to be a kitchen table filled with both food and love.”

San Antonio Food Bank helping veterans this holiday season

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Photo: Google

Food insecurity is defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. In the United States, food insecurity affects one in nine people. Food insecurity is a social determinant of health, which are conditions in people’s environment that can affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. One in five households served by a local food bank has at least one member who has served in the U.S. military. To make an impact, the San Antonio Food Bank; Humana, a leading health and well-being company; and Conviva Care Centers have partnered on a food and fund drive benefitting military veterans from Veterans Day, November 11 through December 7, 2019. (San Antonio Food Bank, 2019)

As part of the “March Out Hunger” campaign, non-perishable food will be collected at locations throughout San Antonio, including: the Humana neighborhood location (950 S. General McMullen), the Humana office, and five Conviva Care Center locations. In addition to food donations, members of the community can provide monetary donations. Every $10 donation helps the San Antonio Food Bank provide 70 meals and can be done online.

The community is also invited to participate in a Ruck March at the Humana Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon during the 5K on Saturday, December 7 at 7:30a.m. In the military, soldiers carry a heavily-loaded rucksack, similar to a backpack, over a long distance. To bring awareness to food insecurity among our military and veteran community, participants will carry packs filled with non-perishable food donations and march the 5K route, delivering the food to the San Antonio Food Bank at the finish line. Those interested in marching should email Humana.

Donation stations:
Humana neighborhood location, 950 S. General McMullen, San Antonio, TX
Humana office, 8119 Datapoint Dr., San Antonio
Conviva – Guadalupe Care Center, 1314 Guadalupe St., Ste. 105, San Antonio
Conviva – DeLeon Care Center, 9727 Poteet Jourdanton Fwy., Ste. 108, San Antonio
Conviva – Greco Care Center, 4360 Greco Drive, San Antonio
Conviva – Legacy Place Care Center, 18414 US-281 North, Ste. 104, San Antonio
Conviva – Live Oak Care Center, 12602 Toepperwein Road, Ste. 100, San Antonio