Support Food Equity, Access, and Justice in Central Texas

El Buen Samaritano invites you to participate in our Hands for Hope (H4H) 2021 Food Equity and Access Campaign. Over the last year, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, El Buen scaled our food equity and access (pantry) operations to serve four times our capacity – responding to 26,100 pantry visits serving 7,719 families (30,000 individuals). In addition, right in the middle of the pandemic, we scaled up again to respond to the damaging impact of the 2021 Uri Winter Storm. During the storm and within a span of 2 weeks afterwards, El Buen assisted 3,400 families.

El Buen's annual H4H campaign raises awareness about hunger in Central Texas and supports year-round pantry services including our flagship holiday meal distribution events in November & December. The pandemic facilitated new connections for El Buen, linking us with additional and diverse food systems. This collaboration with non-traditional partnerships, as well as food sourcing organizations, allowed us to scale up and reach thousands more families. This year, we will serve 20,000 families via our drive-through pantry, home delivery services, and flagship holiday meal distribution events. El Buen’s H4H 2021 fundraising goal is $550,000.

This year our fundraising goal will allow us to:

• Carry out our H4H flagship holiday meal distribution events in November and December.
• Increase and diversify the capacity of our partners to create access to food in Central Texas.
• Reinforce access to food initiatives for individuals and families living in food deserts.
• Provide prepared meals to the elderly, youth, and families/individuals not able to cook.
• Address participant’s health and social needs by facilitating referrals to additional services.

Our November and December H4H holiday events will enable food equity and access to 2,300 families by distributing:

• 1,000 holiday meal kits to families on November 20^th.
• 800 $60 HEB gift cards to partner agency families by November 20^th.
• 500 holiday meal kits to families registered in our services, parishioners in need from San Francisco de Asis Episcopal Church, and referred clients from Lone Star Circle of Care clinic.

El Buen's Hands for Hope initiative is made possible by contributions from compassionate donors like YOU!

Will you help us feed 20,000 families this year? Help fund our efforts through November 20.