HopeAustin Advances Mission Amid Coronavirus

AUSTIN, TX —As coronavirus continues to impact communities across the country and job losses signal stretched budgets for families, meeting basic needs becomes high-level priority to ensure the health and wellness of area residents. HopeAustin, whose mission is to create opportunity through food security, has ramped up its efforts amid the current public health crisis to provide weekend meals for students facing food insecurity.

The organization delivers essential food to over 1,600 students across 61 schools in Central Texas. The program provides access to nutrition to children to ensure healthy growth, development and focus on learning. School closures have adversely impacted children whose primary nutrition needs are met through their schools breakfast and lunch programs.

As a result of not having the ability to use volunteers, the HopeAustin board created thousands of meal kits offered weekly to those most in need. Executive Director and Founder Monica Van Waaden led the effort to offer access to kids amid the pandemic. “After each delivery run, we return to our unit to carefully sanitize each bin and bag we retrieved from the previous week’s delivery,” Monica says. “Since we are not using volunteers at this time, we then work a couple of hours to create the thousands of meal kits that go out each week.”

As the weeks have progressed, and shelter in place and social distancing orders remain in place, the challenge becomes keeping up with fundraising efforts to ensure families continue benefitting from these services during these especially difficult times. As more students begin needing access to meals, HopeAustin continues reliant on its donations and grants.

Van Waaden adds, “My greatest takeaway from all this is never take things for granted, always be flexible and always try to leave each person you speak / connect with, with a smile on their face.” To help HopeAustin as they work toward accepting volunteers again, the organization asks for the community to advance awareness for the challenge of childhood food insecurity in Central Texas, and keep informed about latest developments through their Facebook and Instagram pages. The community is also invited to make a donation if they are able.