(Staff photo by Jacob Lopez)
A volunteer at the San Benito Food Pantry is seen preparing for the morning rush of clients who seek the nonprofit organization’s help every Wednesday. Also shown is a graph (below) depicting the rise in demand at the pantry from 2012-14.
By JACOB LOPEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
While San Benito’s population has grown by just 121 – this according to the U.S. Census Bureau – the demand for aid has grown by leaps and bounds as experienced by the San Benito Food Pantry, which has serviced 86 more families during the same two years (2012-13) in which the Census data was taken.
In an Aug. 31 letter to the editor submitted to the San Benito News, Food Pantry volunteers pleaded for donations from the public to help keep its doors open.
“Due to the growing number of families in need, we are asking for your help again,” read the letter, which was penned by Food Pantry President Lidia Garcia.
According to Claire Roewe, executive director for the pantry, the nonprofit organization serves roughly 1,800 families per month and averages between 400 to 500 families per week.
Data provided by the pantry shows an increase in demand between 2012 and 2014.
Demand for the month of August grew year-over-year from 1,583 in 2013 to 1,904 in 2014.
Meanwhile, the population of San Benito, according to the US Census Bureau has grown from 24,250 in 2010 to 24,374 in 2013 (data for 2014 is not yet available).
The increased needs have pushed the pantry’s operating costs to an average of $3,600 per month.
In order to apply for assistance, families must present a form of ID with their name and a San Benito address.
“It could be a piece of mail. It could be their insurance papers out of their car. And when they’re homeless … we just put homeless,” said Roewe.
However, she added that the pantry does serve people from Rio Hondo.
According to Roewe, the food pantry has received a 20 percent increase in its shared maintenance fee (a fee for food handling and distribution) from the Rio Grande Valley Food Bank.
Roewe added that the pantry no longer has much of the food it needs available, “and we’re having to go and purchase it from Sam’s (Club) and the grocery stores.”
Currently, the pantry, which has been in operation since 1991, relies on donations from schools, churches, businesses, private individuals and other community organizations.
“It takes, right now, around $33,000 to $35,000 a year (to operate),” said Roewe.
“We just go on prayer,” she further noted, adding that “we are always just about two months from total devastation — maybe three.”
According to Roewe, the pantry always has emergency operating funds for “two or three months.”
Those willing to contribute to the pantry can mail donations to PO Box 1246, San Benito, Texas, 78586, payable to the San Benito Food Pantry. For more information, call Roewe at (956) 577-3518.
1 comments
See the response to CONSIDER THIS: Why San Benito Wants a Refund
https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2014/09/05/consider-this-why-san-benito-wants-a-refund/
By ‘Tell it Like it Is’
September 8, 2014 at 10:58 am (UTC -5)
Reply
Mr. Editor. Again you are spot on with your comments.
Consider this. Over the past several years the City of San Benito has managed accumulate ‘unused’ CDBG monies to build a ‘splash pad’ somewhere in the City. After they determined that a splash pad may indeed be a losing situation and more expensive than they could possibly afford, they can up with Plan B; a park of the ‘Southside’. It appears this decision was made with little planning, no real consideration for our demographics, and so on; (as you have done).
Recently three local nonprofits, La Posada Providencia, SB Food Pantry, and START Center, asked the City of San Benito to reallocate $60,000 of the $164,207.77 in unused CDBG funds from years 2010-2014 to the SB community-based agencies that provide basic and emergency needs to benefit low and moderate income persons particularly those that are homeless, hungry and in need of food and emergency family services. They asked the City of San Benito to follow and be true to their primary CDBG goals which follow the CDBG’s National Objectives:
• Benefit Low and Moderate income persons
• Prevent and Eliminate Slum and Blight
• Meet an Urgent Need
Your statement says it all: ” But this is also why our local governing institutions must remain conscious of these demographics before embarking on potentially-costly endeavors, which all too often serves only to further impoverish the community than they do to empower it.”
Tell It Like it Is, Michael!
Pretty much says it all!