Looking back, we could never have imagined a year ago that our announcement of a readiness campaign to prepare our clients and our nonprofit partner agencies for COVID-9 would turn into a year-long response effort. We could not have imagined the spike in joblessness; the doubling of food insecurity. We could not have imagined the change of lifestyle we would face nor the fear that would pervade so much of our life. And, we could not have imagined the devastating loss of so many family and friends. The pandemic ravaged our community, particularly those in the lowest strata of income.

The pandemic also, though, brought out the best in us. Who could have imagined tens of thousands of volunteers stepping forward as frontline heroes to make sure that no one went hungry? Who could have imagined the hundreds of thousands of individuals, businesses, organizations, and foundations that would lean in to help meet a $6 million a week spike for food and funds? Who could have imagined that this incredible community’s response would garner national and even international media attention? Who could have imagined we would be SA Strong?

This impact report is intended to give an overview of where our community gave help and received help. We often frame our work with what we need from the community (food, time, money, voice) and how we help those in need in the community (food for today, food for tomorrow, and food for a lifetime).

The pages here will give you an overview of both legs of our response for the timeframe March 2020 through February 2021. And while our response is not done, we hope this report provides you a helpful synopsis of the response effort for the region.

William Luther, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

I had the privilege of meeting Ms. Minnie Mendez at a food distribution in Seguin, Texas.

The distribution was like many the Food Bank had coordinated in the past – lines of cars moved steadily along – as volunteers energetically loaded packages of food into families’ vehicles. Everything was moving efficiently. That’s when I saw Minnie.

I noticed a woman in an electric wheelchair. She was dangerously close to the other cars, trying to merge into the lines of neighbors waiting for their food. After introducing myself, Minnie admitted, “I’m hungry, and I just want some food.”

It was a simple request, and Minnie was doing what she could to get into the line she thought would get her the food she desperately needed. When I asked her to come with me, she refused at first. She didn’t want to get out of line. She couldn’t miss out on this food distribution. But after explaining to her the dangers of being in line with all the cars, and promising her she would get food, she relented.

Minnie made her way to the side of the distribution line, again reminding me that she was hungry. That’s when something interesting happened: the food came to her. Volunteers, boxes in hand, came from their line and brought Minnie the food she was desperately waiting for. There were thanks given, and – as soon as she could – Minnie tried opening up a package of cheese. She was weak and visibly shaking, so I helped her. She took a handful and ate.

Since she was in her wheelchair, I pulled out my phone and started looking for a rideshare that could get her back to her home. “My apartment is only 4 blocks away,” Minnie said, thinking she could make it back with whatever food she had.

I filled up my car, and – since we couldn’t fit her wheelchair in my car – I followed her to her home, with her food in my trunk. When we got to her apartment, we unloaded all of her food. Minnie was ecstatic. It was like she had won the lottery. She organized her pantry and refrigerator. “I sometimes have to make a can of corn last me 2 days,” Ms. Mendez explained. “But at least I have that; some people don’t even have that.”

When she was done organizing her food, we sat down, and I let her know someone from the Food Bank would be calling to enroll her in critical benefits. They signed her up for the Senior Home Delivery Program.*

Minnie was in tears. With the program, she wouldn’t have to drive her wheelchair into a distribution line ever again. She would get the nourishment she needed right where she was.

*Senior Home Delivery Program delivers boxes of groceries along with fresh, healthy produce twice a month.

The pandemic demanded a dramatic shift in services from the Food Bank. Mobile, COVID-safe food distributions in large parking lots across the region became the norm for people needing food. Of the more than 92 million pounds of food handled by the Food Bank in the last year, an estimated 62% was distributed through these new mobile food distributions. Overall, 625,000 individuals received a food benefit in the last year.

For tens of thousands of low-incoming students engaged in distance learning, access to free/reduced meals became a logistics challenge and a critical need. The Food Bank enhanced and initiated innovative partnerships with local school districts to meet the need: provided food boxes for on-campus drive-thru events for families; upgraded outreach to parents for P-EBT enrollment; pivoted to additional meals from our kitchens; and, strengthened weekend backpack programs. An estimated 156,000 children were provided a food benefit during the pandemic response. 

SENIORS

With the pandemic shutting down senior sites and food pantries, the Food Bank pivoted to accelerate its home delivery program. Pre-COVID the Food Bank team was delivering about 4,000 meals in a year. During the last twelve months, volunteers supported an effort that delivered more than 19,000 meals to mobility-impaired seniors and others.

VETERANS 

Services to households with a military member in it (current or veteran) saw a dramatic rise in need: pre-COVID about 15% of households receiving a food benefit had a military member in it; and, during our COVID response 37% of households served had a military member in it.

RURAL

More than a dozen rural counties across Southwest Texas saw nearly a 100% closure of local food pantries. The Food Bank stepped in to organize mobile, COVID-safe food distributions across these counties. More than 41,000 households were served, reaching more than 160,000 thousand individuals.

Food donations during the pandemic response saw lift from many sectors, even with others struggling. Total donations were up 24% over same time prior year. If you think of the Food Bank as a foundation that investments value (in this case food) into local communities, the Food Bank invested $160 million into the region over the last twelve months.

Donations of volunteer time were critical to our pandemic response. Corporate volunteerism shut down, but families and individuals stepped in. Total volunteer hours served in the last twelve months totaled 183,099, equal to nearly 100 volunteers for every hour of operation. Using a national metric from the Independent Sector, total volunteer hours had a value of $5 million. 

Philanthropic donations came to the Food Bank in record pace. The Food Bank processed an average of 67 donations every business hour over the last year, equal to 536 donations every week for 52 weeks. Total dollars were up more than 300%, topping off at $53 million. And the average gift size increase from $300 to $400 over the last year as well.

The gift of voice was activated in two primary ways during the pandemic. First, the community response effort received record levels of engagement across all social media channels. Second, traditional media partners (print, radio, television, online) covered the Food Bank’s pandemic response and community impact in ways that launched local journalism and photojournalism into national and international attention.

As I think of this past year, I extend my sincere condolences for all the losses experienced. This pandemic has taken away time with loved ones, significant events, jobs, businesses, and people’s lives. Families have been doing all they can to hold on, but while doing so have lost savings, retirements, and assets. Children have lost time in the classroom and meals from the cafeteria.  Efforts to hold on have brought mounting debt and extended rent abatement.

It is in this reality that you have responded. Sharing what you have with a neighbor. Giving time though volunteering at our numerous Pop Up Distributions or serving at one of our Partner Pantries. You have given financially to assist us in leveraging funds to efficiently acquire more food. Some have given food through food drives or through their business. While others have raised their voice to advocate for policy change or offered prayer.

What you have meant to the now 1 in 3 food insecure households in our region is hope!  You have given the knowledge that someone does care. Through hope we are encouraged to hold on despite all the challenges we face. Although we are socially distant, we are not alone.  It is through the power of a meal that feelings of encouragement are given. Food becomes a transformative gift that nourishes love and comfort. Food feeds hope!

As a part or our stewardship, we have a responsibility to return and report our impact. This Impact Report is being provided in humility and transparency. With your unprecedented support we have been able to meet this unprecedented need. Operationally we expanded strategies and reach. In partnership with Feeding America, we have expanded our service territory to 29 counties. These 13 additional counties make up the service area of the Concho Valley Food Bank in San Angelo, which will now be stewarded by the San Antonino Food Bank in an effort to strengthen operational efficiencies in that region and to close the hunger gap in those counties. 

Along with meeting the needs of today, we have continued to build for tomorrow. We are grateful for all the capital gifts that have made the Culinary Center (SA) and the Apple Seeds Apartments (NB) possible. Our board, staff, and volunteers want to thank MacKenzie Scott for her transformative gift. Yet another example of how unprecedented need is met with unprecedented support. I also want to thank our government partners at the federal, state, county, and city level for their support during the pandemic and recent winter storm.

During our response to the winter storm, I witnessed extreme sacrifices. I am grateful to our culinary staff who spent the night at the kitchen to ensure meals could be provided. I am grateful to our drivers and volunteers who navigated safely across icy roads to deliver food. I am grateful for all the volunteers who showed up as the storm broke to provide food and water to 96,000 people who were without power, water, and food.  

I witnessed people taking neighbors into their homes who were without power and water.  Churches, Temples, and the Sikh Dharamsal were used as shelters and warming centers.  So much was done to help people overcome the obstacles of the winter storm. I challenge each of us to continue the work of overcoming structural obstacles that have crippled our community for too long: obstacles like poverty, low wages, unattainable healthcare, and no sick leave. When these barriers merge together in a household they create a “daily storm”, one that has ravaged so many of our neighbors for generations. 

Utility companies restored power and water after the recent winter storm. It is up to the rest of us, especially those of us who employ local residents, to restore long-term sustainability and bring an end to the daily storm our neighbors hope to overcome.

Help me, as you are our only hope!

Eric S. Cooper
President & CEO