You provide hope for thousands of Austin families!

The end of each year is often bittersweet—with mixed feelings of gratitude, solace, and reflection on the days behind us. It has been another historically challenging year, filled with momentous change, adjustment, and hardship. Thanks to your support, El Buen Samaritano continued to provide emergency response services to families disproportionally affected by COVID-19. We expanded our reach across Central Texas and provided additional needed services. I am relieved that we have reached this point in the year, not because it marks an end, but more because we are starting to see new beginnings.

Gratitude and Solace. We have heard stories of challenge and grief, but also stories of hope and resiliency. The families El Buen serves face challenges due to enduring hunger, loss of income, eviction, access to healthcare, technology, youth academic support, and language barriers. Those same families have kept going day after day in the face of deep inequity. I am filled with gratitude for the extraordinary determination of our community. Based on need and motivated by the community, El Buen became one of the leading emergency response operations in Austin. Comprehensive services, diverse partnerships, and data-informed innovation were at the center of our emergency response. In collaboration with our community and stakeholders, El Buen transformed and scaled efforts to service levels not previously reached. We achieved this in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating Uri Winter Storm.

Equity and Impact. El Buen is providing equitable access to services across Central Texas. This map represents our equity and access efforts, highlighting El Buen’s footprint. Our impact map demonstrates how far individuals and families are willing to travel to access food, financial assistance, education, and COVID-19 vaccines. Our extensive impact demonstrates El Buen’s ability to form powerful partnerships with diverse organizations to expand our reach.

Trusted Community Resource. Throughout 2021 El Buen has continued to be a beacon of hope for vulnerable families. You joined our community because of the work we do. Your financial contributions have made a critical difference and impact. Below we share the impact of your support:

• 14,443 food pantry visits and 428,727 pounds of food distributed
• 115 youth participated in our virtual afterschool academic support and summer camps
• 444 adults participated in our virtual workforce classes: English as a Second Language and Digital Literacy
• 2,135 health referrals, 237 unique individuals served in our reproductive and adolescent health education webinars
• 1,300 COVID-19 vaccines facilitated and 4,455 reached through education, assessments, and referrals
• $5,441,412 provided in financial assistance to 14,379 individuals
• 3,400 families assisted during Winter Storm Uri (in span of 2 weeks)
• 2300 families served through our Hands for Hope and Posadas at El Buen holiday meal distribution events

Continued Community Need. We do not know what the new year will bring. We still need you. That is why I am asking you to consider supporting our efforts with a gift today. We do know the pandemic has multiplied the disparities Latino communities experience, including the impact of the virus and economic downturn that disproportionately affects Latino businesses and jobs. Latino families are suffering greater challenges in accessing food, housing, health care, including vaccines, and overall security. Youth are experiencing profound and complex academic learning losses. Not only are achievement gaps growing for vulnerable students, but also behavioral concerns and mental health crises are on the rise. We are only beginning to witness the mental health impacts this increase of traumatic stress has had on our communities.

Your generous gift will ensure El Buen continues to provide equitable access to services and resources.