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Community Impact
El Buen’s Food Pantry: Safety Net for Austin’s Hungry
Living in poverty in Austin often means having to choose between acquiring food, clothing, shelter, medication or paying bills.
Since 1987, El Buen has made a difference in the lives of people in poverty by providing the most basic human need—food. Food pantry clients come to El Buen from all walks of life. Some are unemployed, some are experiencing temporary economic hardship and others live on a fixed income. Such is the case of Dan Robbitt. Elderly and disabled, Dan felt the need to seek help at El Buen Samaritano. He was involved in an automotive accident causing him serious chronic spinal injuries 25 years ago. After struggling to survive with his savings, he could no longer afford to eat and pay medical bills. At 62, Dan lives on a monthly Supplement Security Income just short of $700. Other financial obligations leave him with little money for food.
“I feel blessed to receive the help of El Buen’s food pantry,” Dan said. “The food I receive is useful and nutritious and it helps me make ends meet.”
Juan Rosa underwent financial difficulty when he and his wife moved from California to Austin in 2006. Having no job, no health insurance and a child on the way, they turned to El Buen’s food pantry.
After taking English as a Second Language classes at El Buen, Juan is now gainfully employed and plans to enroll in El Buen’s GED preparation course this summer.
The economic downturn has intensified hunger in Austin, especially at El Buen, where the food pantry has seen a 70-percent increase in requests during the first quarter of 2009. According to the Center for Public Policy Priorities, to afford to live in the Austin Metropolitan Statistical Area, a family of two parents and two children needs a household income of $53,080 to cover basic expenses, which is more than double the federal poverty guideline of $21,200. In order to earn the $53,080, workers in the household would need to earn a combined wage of $27 an hour. The median wage for all occupations in the area is $14.38 an hour. This means 40 percent of families live below the Central Texas Security Index.
Now more than ever, safety net providers such as El Buen Samaritano rely heavily on the generous support of donors and individuals to continue to serve Austin’s hungry.
As a member of The Basic Needs Coalition of Central Texas, El Buen Samaritano collaborates with other Austin nonprofits to create solutions that secure the basic resources for Austin families in need, eliminate the effects of poverty and promote self-sufficiency.
To learn how you can make a difference in the lives of hungry Austinites, click here or contact Lil Almonte, director of outreach, at (512) 439-0734 or lalmonte@elbuen.org.
