Abilene Hunger Coalition: Working Together to Fight Hunger
Founded: 2018
Leadership: Leadership and decision-making is integrated within the coalition
Action Teams: Child Hunger; Senior Hunger; Community Horticulture
Summer Meals Program Infographic
When COVID-19 restrictions hit in March, it affected much of the way nonprofit organizations assist their communities. Abilene Hunger Coalition’s everyday services at the Food Pantry on Walnut quickly changed. No longer were the visits face-to-face, and neighbors could no longer choose what went into their grocery bag. Instead, prepared in advance, the coalition now offers curbside groceries. What would have been a good 20 to 30 minute visit that includes asking about family members has turned into a 10-minute visit behind a mask.
With the difficulties brought on by the Pandemic, the Summer Meals program was briefly put on hold to change the daily Food Pantry operations completely. Discussions had already begun about whether the Free Summer Meals program would even happen. But a phone call from the Equal Heart organization, which manages the placement of AmeriCorp Members, quickly changed the direction of the Summer Meals program. Through the Equal Heart organization, three AmeriCorp members were placed, and their goal was to organize, implement, and make sure the Free Summer Meals program met its goals. Thus, the Abilene Hunger Coalition partnered with the Highland Church and the 11-host meal sites to help provide “Curb-Side Grab and Go” meals to families with low income and/or any other individuals who needed food assistance.
The Abilene Hunger Coalition was created through the Food Pantry on Walnut (Highland Church of Christ) in 2018 to partner with various other organizations and agencies to fight hunger issues in the Big Country and Abilene area. Free Summer Meals emerged in the summer of 2018 to focus on providing an option of a fresh, hot meal for families and children who are under the free or reduced lunch program from Abilene Independent School District (AISD). Every year, Free Summer Meals provides a free hot lunch or breakfast meal to families during the three-week gap between when AISD ends their summer feeding program in July and when school starts in the middle of August. While the program’s target population are families with children, because the program is privately funded, the Free Summer Meals program is able to assist anyone (adults and children) seeking a fresh, hot meal during the 3-week gap.
This summer (2020), COVID-19 brought many challenges to the community, including worries about where people would get their next meal. COVID-19 also brought some program planning challenges, but the Abilene Hunger Coalition quickly adapted its program approach to “curb-side sites” to serve those in our community who are food insecure. The 11-partner agencies included the Abilene Library (Mockingbird Branch), the Abilene WIC Office, BOBS (Breakfast on Beech Street), City Lights Community Ministries, FaithWorks of Abilene, Freedom Fellowship, Grace Fellowship, Love & Care Ministries, Pioneer Drive Baptist Church, Shining Star Fellowship, and the Southern Hills Church of Christ. The Highland Church, with a well-equipped commercial kitchen, hosted a Cooking team to provide approximately 300 meals per day to 6 of the host meal sites.
Over 100 generous volunteers served over 615 volunteer hours. Volunteers were recruited from employees of the Hendrick Hospital, the staff at the WIC office, and the Kiwanis Club of Abilene. Whether the volunteers helped to organized a host site, supported the planning of the entire program, participated on the Cooking team, volunteered to distribute curb-side meals, provided financial sponsorship for a host site, and/or donated financially to the program, everyone played a significant role in serving 8932 meals during the 3-week gap to families throughout the community of Abilene. This summer, the Summer Meals program ended in July, doubled from the previous year because of our “curb-side” meals approach.
The news on social media about the Free Summer Meals spread quickly as many were in need during the pandemic. Of the 8932 meals served, a total of 3,991 meals were served to children and 4,941 to adults. Many respondents of a survey sent to recipients of Free Summer Meals reported that this was a blessing to them and their families and that it gave them one less thing to worry about during the three-week gap. Additionally, some said that it was what they and their children were looking forward to daily. The Abilene Hunger Coalition is proud to say that the Abilene community resiliently worked together to fight against hunger throughout our community and greatly empowered those in need of meals.
Author: Zane Peng
10/2/2020
