Three Hays County charities dedicated to helping children and families received $25,000 each this week, courtesy of the Capital Area Housing Finance Corporation.
On Dec. 4, Hays County commissioners presented a total of $75,000 to the Hays County Food Bank, the Southside Community Center and the Hays County Child Protective Board. The organizations received the money after deliberation from the corporation, which gave several donations to surrounding counties.
Hays County commissioners presented a total of $75,000 to the Hays County Food Bank, the Southside Community Center and the Hays County Child Protective Board.
Hays County Pct. 2 Commissioner Mark Jones, a member of the corporation, said the funds were raised from fees collected through the corporation’s business, which assists home buying and affordable housing in the area.
Each organization will use the funding differently; however, the organizations have the same general goal – to expand their practices. The Hays County Food Bank is in the market for a new building as they have outgrown their small, city-owned location in San Marcos.
Denise Blok, HCFB CEO, said they will use their donation toward a new 60,000 square foot facility on land provided by The Village of San Marcos. The proposed project has a price tag of $6 million.
“We don’t have adequate space to grow anymore so we will be starting a capital campaign,” Blok said. “We have land already, but we need funds for the building. We don’t know exactly how much, but we are estimating.”
The food bank serves more than 12,000 county residents between Buda and Kyle, and at least 41,000 residents county-wide, per year, according to Feeding Texas. With that number growing annually, Blok said the organization is in serious need for space.
The Hays County Child Protective Board will be using its donation to expand as well, Jones said. The board operates a “rainbow room,” which houses supplies for Child Protective Services workers to use when placing children in foster homes and to help families in need.
The current rainbow room is reportedly too small to house the board’s supply. The board has pushed for more help with expanding the room or adding another since June.
Rapid population growth in the county, paired with a changing job and housing market, have left these organizations working quickly to keep up with the increased volume of demand.
The Southside Community Center, also locate in San Marcos, temporarily houses those in need from across Hays County but has limited space. Jones said the center is using its donation to maintain current services.
Ruben Garza, executive director of the community center, said the donation will go toward a home renovation for a family in San Marcos who is known for having helped homeless persons in the past.
Total home renovations began Monday and will continue into February, when volunteers from out of town will come in to help.
“One of the family members helped this boy, who is now 30, when he was homeless,” Garza said. “He was the person who brought them to our attention.”
The home has not been worked on in three decades, Garza said. The home needs a new foundation, support and a new roof for the family with two members retired, one on dialysis and another working two jobs to support everyone.
“They’re going to have to move out a for a little bit,” Garza said. “We’re really lucky we’re going to be able to fix so much.”
