Feeding Hope
Feeding Hope
Feeding Hope
Feeding Hope
Message From Our Ceo
VIVA AMOR IN 2024!
Long live the love of our families, our traditions, and our city! Many of you may have heard the news that the San Antonio Battle of Flowers® Association has asked me to be the Grand Marshal of this year’s Battle of Flowers® Parade to be held on Friday, April 26. I was humbled to be considered for such an admirable honor, knowing that it really honors the work of hunger fighters, like you.
In leading the San Antonio Food Bank, I represent an incredible tradition of love. Love that is shown through the kindness of selfless sharing and caring. When you give food, funds, volunteer, or raise your voice, you are part of that tradition. And, of course, food is love! Food nourishes the tradition of family. Food is created from recipes passed down for generations. Food holds memories of wonderful moments. Food helps us to feel complete, satisfied, and revitalized.
For 133 years, the Battle of Flowers® Association has preserved our state’s heritage of Fiesta® San Antonio with the Battle of Flowers® Parade. This year, the tradition of bringing our community together is a shared effort with the Food Bank. Combining the Battle of Flowers® Parade theme of Viva Amor 2024 with the power of food can demonstrate LOVE by enabling this amazing tradition to deliver tangible nourishment that only comes from uniting together.
San Antonio has a long history of struggle. I know parents who desperately want to provide for their children, and seniors whose fixed budgets cannot afford life’s necessities. As an organization, it has been our legacy to bring those to the table who can share and those who need to receive. It is genuinely a legacy of tradition and love.
Our hope is to demonstrate that food truly is love by collecting 1,330,000 pounds of food in tribute to the 133 years of the Battle of Flowers® Parade, adding additional fulfillment to the parade. Join our efforts by visiting safoodbank.org/fiesta to engage and make Fiesta® San Antonio and the Battle of Flowers® events even more impactful this year.
With Gratitude,
Eric S. Cooper
Message From Our Board Chair
Message From Our Board Chair
Dana Simmons | USAA (Retired)
Springtime brings renewal and hope for a new year. It is a time for reflection and growth. As a member of the San Antonio Food Bank family, I get to see how each spring brings a surge of support and resources to help us provide to families in need.
It is a true privilege to serve with the magnificent people on the Food Bank team. As the Chair of the Board of Directors, I am constantly reminded of the theme of growth.
From the construction pile outside the main building that has grown into a new parking structure, to the seeds that were planted to become a thriving farm on-site at our Food Bank and at Mission San Juan, to the growth of new opportunities to help us fulfill our mission to provide more resources to Southwest Texas communities. This means more meals and more support for our neighbors in need.
I recently had the honor of serving in the Food Bank’s community kitchens. It was such a humbling experience and truly one that I will not forget as we interacted with amazing individuals. It reminded me of the growth they have experienced in their journey and how they have come to realize how many people are here to support them in their determined pursuit of stability.
While our growth and capabilities have vastly improved over the years, there are still some serious challenges on the horizon. We continue to see an increase in the number of our neighbors in need, largely driven by the rising costs of food and basic living expenses outpacing income. However, this is something that we can remedy.
By growing together and lending our assistance through food donations, volunteering, financial contributions, or even just being an advocate for the Food Bank, you are helping to nourish neighbors. This spring, let’s join hands together to help advance efforts to grow a better and stronger community across Southwest Texas by fighting hunger and feeding hope. Together we can do this!
Message From Our Board Chair
Message From Our Board Chair
Dana Simmons | USAA (Retired)
Springtime brings renewal and hope for a new year. It is a time for reflection and growth. As a member of the San Antonio Food Bank family, I get to see how each spring brings a surge of support and resources to help us provide to families in need.
It is a true privilege to serve with the magnificent people on the Food Bank team. As the Chair of the Board of Directors, I am constantly reminded of the theme of growth.
From the construction pile outside the main building that has grown into a new parking structure, to the seeds that were planted to become a thriving farm on-site at our Food Bank and at Mission San Juan, to the growth of new opportunities to help us fulfill our mission to provide more resources to Southwest Texas communities. This means more meals and more support for our neighbors in need.
I recently had the honor of serving in the Food Bank’s community kitchens. It was such a humbling experience and truly one that I will not forget as we interacted with amazing individuals. It reminded me of the growth they have experienced in their journey and how they have come to realize how many people are here to support them in their determined pursuit of stability.
While our growth and capabilities have vastly improved over the years, there are still some serious challenges on the horizon. We continue to see an increase in the number of our neighbors in need, largely driven by the rising costs of food and basic living expenses outpacing income. However, this is something that we can remedy.
By growing together and lending our assistance through food donations, volunteering, financial contributions, or even just being an advocate for the Food Bank, you are helping to nourish neighbors. This spring, let’s join hands together to help advance efforts to grow a better and stronger community across Southwest Texas by fighting hunger and feeding hope. Together we can do this!
FOOD RESCUE
Promoting Environmental Stewardship
The San Antonio Food Bank stands at the forefront of food rescue, a dynamic initiative that not only combats hunger but also addresses critical environmental challenges associated with food loss and waste.
Through strategic alliances with farmers, grocers, distributors, processors, and manufacturers, the Food Bank efficiently rescues, sources, and redirects food. With 8-10% of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to food loss and waste, our efforts directly contribute to reducing emissions. Our work not only prevents food from entering landfills, but also actively involves raising awareness, educating, and fostering innovative solutions towards a more sustainable and equitable food system.
Our different rescue methods
We rescue food to fight hunger and promote environmental stewardship.
Our different rescue methods
We rescue food to fight hunger and promote environmental stewardship.
FOOD SHARING
Serving 29 Counties In Southwest Texas
The San Antonio Food Bank has leveraged a network of partners and technology to optimize efficiency in our operations. This strategic approach not only ensures that more food reaches those in need but also minimizes the environmental impact associated with transportation, storage, and food sharing.
FOOD SHARING
Serving 29 Counties In Southwest Texas
The San Antonio Food Bank has leveraged a network of partners and technology to optimize efficiency in our operations. This strategic approach not only ensures that more food reaches those in need but also minimizes the environmental impact associated with transportation, storage, and food sharing.
GROCERY
34,404,703 lbs
Fresh Produce
24,812,780 lbs
Protein
8,048,633 lbs
Dairy / Juice
6,195,845 lbs
Bakery
5,857,061 lbs
Non-Food
2,700,500 lbs
Pet Food
535,483 lbs
82,555,005 lbs
Data From 2023
CULTIVATING ROOTS
At Mission San Juan
CULTIVATING ROOTS
At Mission San Juan
In 2016, the seeds of a remarkable partnership were sown as the San Antonio Food Bank and the National Park Service embarked on a groundbreaking land-use agreement. This transformative alliance seeks to leverage 50 acres of farmland at Mission San Juan, setting the stage for a collaborative effort that not only enriches our community but also fosters sustainable, agricultural, and cultural growth.
The cultivation practices employed by the Food Bank’s farm team at Mission San Juan focuses on regenerative agricultural techniques, emphasizing soil health, water conservation, and biodiversity. To preserve the rich history of the farmland, five acres at the Mission serve as a Spanish Colonial Demonstration Farm and its acequia irrigation method. The remaining 45 acres are cultivated using modern farming methods, free of synthetic pesticides and herbicides.
As an organization committed to addressing food-related challenges and ensuring a secure future, the Food Bank places great importance on embodying the role of conscientious stewards. This commitment includes efforts to honor and integrate the cultural heritage of our community into our farming and agricultural practices.
Your support of our mission goes beyond mere contribution; it’s an investment in the resilience and vibrancy of our community. By supporting the agricultural efforts at Mission San Juan, you are not only addressing immediate food needs but also cultivating connection between our community, its land, and its cultural roots.
As a result of this support, in March 2024 we begin our Nopal y Tú planting in collaboration with Mission Heritage Partners. This project incorporates the transplant of community- donated nopal paddles – a traditional cactus with deep indigenous roots to the region. Planting of this culturally significant crop carries profound meaning, embracing sustainable farming while epitomizing the spirit of collective effort and shared heritage.
For generations, families in our region have embraced the drought tolerant Nopal plant as a staple of nourishment, culture, and resiliency. Learning of the Nopal y Tú project, Mario drove with his family from Pleasanton, Texas to donate a paddle of their nopal plant, and remarked “I am honored to share not just a piece of nopal, but the rich stories and traditions that accompany it… My wife and I use this plant to cook. We have recipes that were passed down from our families…By planting and harvesting these Nopales, we are cultivating a deeper connection to our roots.”
Did You Know? Our CHEF Nutrition Education Team Has Resources And Recipes Available For All | LEARN MORE >
COMBATTING A HUNGER CRISIS
COMBATTING A HUNGER CRISIS
Adapting Our Methods To Fight Hunger
New U.S. Department of Agriculture data has revealed a dramatic increase in food insecurity across the nation in 2022, jumping 31% across households. Amidst the surge in hunger nationwide, Texas is ranked second on the list of states encountering a hunger crisis, with nearly 1 in 6 Texas households experiencing food insecurity.
As the San Antonio Food Bank finds itself serving anywhere f rom 100,000 to 120,000 people each week, nearing pandemic levels, we continue to adapt our methods to sustain nourishment for neighbors in need. In doing so, we’ve adjusted support strategies to address state and federal benefit changes, focusing on enhanced Benefits Assistance web page content, targeted SNAP assistance outreach, and on-site resource events with partners like Feeding Texas and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission aiming to empower the community in navigating benefits assistance effectively.
WHAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS CRISIS?
- Food prices rose by nearly 10% over 2022
- Cost of living increases
- Federal government SNAP cuts
- State Medicaid unwinding
STORIES OF HOPE
Advocating For Change
Government Relations & Advocacy Update
Reauthorization of the Farm Bill continues to be an advocacy priority for the San Antonio Food Bank, Feeding Texas, and our Feeding America network. Congress has extended the expiration date for the 2018 Farm Bill through September 30, 2024. This extension will give Congress more time to negotiate a new Farm Bill, allowing hunger relief organizations to advocate for a strong, bipartisan 2023 Farm Bill – one that bolsters the nation’s federal nutrition programs, including The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
To ensure that SNAP and TEFAP meet the growing demand for food support, the San Antonio Food Bank, Feeding Texas, and our Feeding America network are asking Congress to:
- Strengthen SNAP purchasing power so that benefits align with rising grocery prices and provide adequate support during tough economic times
- Reduce bureaucratic red tape to improve SNAP access for older adults, college students, veterans, working families, immigrants and other people facing barriers
- Promote self-sufficiency by supporting effective state employment, job training programs, and ensuring people have access to SNAP benefits as they find work
- Reauthorize and increase mandatory funding for TEFAP food purchases, adjusted for inflation, to $500 million per year
- Reauthorize and increase authorization for TEFAP administrative funds for storage and distribution, to $200 million per year
- Reauthorize $15 million per year in discretionary funding for TEFAP infrastructure grants
Sustained Giving
Make A Lasting Impact With A Monthly or Planned Gift
There isn’t just one way to donate to the San Antonio Food Bank. Whether you make a one-time gift or are looking to make a sustainable difference, we’re committed to making every gift go further to create a lasting impact.
