With the economy still struggling to stay afloat and many residents attempting to do the same, the Good Shepherd Mission finds itself short on cash, short on food and in need of nothing short of a miracle.
According to food manager Cassandra Curtis, the food bank at the Good Shepherd Mission has experienced a drastic increase in demand and a simultaneous decrease in donations and income.
“The food bank is just about out of food,” Curtis said. “We pray a lot and we have churches that pray to keep the food bank going. We just have this overwhelming need that has increased in the past six months - our need has increased so much that we’re not able to keep up with it.”
Curtis said the food bank serves around 1,500 meals per month, on average. But with many families scrimping on money and looking for ways to save, the mission is now serving more than 2,000 meals each month.
In order to stock their shelves, Curtis said the food bank relies on donations from the public, both in the form of physical and financial contributions.
While the community and local stores have been extremely supportive in the past, Curtis said she’s seen the issues families are dealing with now and understands why donations have continued to drop in recent months.
“I don’t think the spirit of giving has changed. I just think the safety of it or the opportunity has changed, and we understand that,” Curtis said. “We thank everybody that has given to us. I believe it is the economy – the increased prices of food. I think people have become conservative because they’re not sure what’s going to happen tomorrow to them, so they’ve kind of closed ranks financially.”
Curtis said the mission also makes trips to The Houston Food Bank to purchase food at discounted prices. Yet with the cost of gas and the funding needed to buy the food, the staff has been forced to rely less on the food bank and more on the generosity of local donors.
“Walker County is so good to us – they bless us over and over again,” Curtis said. “So I guess what I’m asking for is another blessing.”
Curtis also stressed that the families and local vendors who are able to give have been more than willing to provide whatever the mission might need and that she hopes others can follow the examples they set.
“There are people that will call and ask what we need – men and women that come in with their children,” Curtis said. “They bring us food and the children see that not everybody has it as good as they do. That’s a valuable lesson and an incredible teaching tool that we support.”
Anyone interested in donating to The Good Shepherd Mission is asked to bring dry beans, dry rice, macaroni and cheese, canned meats, peanut butter, soup, canned vegetables or financial donations. For more information, contact the mission at (936) 291–8156.
Meals are served at The Good Shepherd Mission every day at noon and every night at six.
“We invite the public to come out and eat with us,” Curtis said. “Come see what we’re having tonight.”
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