Feed 3 Partners with Daily Bread Ministries
In 2013 FEED 3 and Strategic Justice Initiatives became partners with Daily Bread Ministries of San Antonio, Texas that serves over 160 churches in poor San Antonio communities. FEED 3 served 80,000 meals in partnership with Daily Bread during the summer of 2013 and is working to implement more feeding sites in 2014.
Childhood hunger plagues many children living in the Greater San Antonio area. Over 118,000 children currently live in “food insecure homes” which is defined as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods.” This makes up an astounding 28 percent of the population.
We have been charged to care for the widows and orphans, the poor and hungry. This is why Seth Kuehn founded Daily Bread Ministries. Reaching out to the Westside mothers and fatherless children; Eastside’s young peole who are addicted to drugs and alcohol; to Southside’s poor families who have been forgotten by most of our city; to those downtown who are homeless; to the surrounding counties where widows are reaching out for help; andin Mexico where orphans are sheltered but undernourished.
Daily Bread Ministries Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit, and since 1996 has collected and distributed food, at no charge, to churches and other compassion agencies whose primary mission is feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeles in the Greater San Antonio area. Over the past five years Daily Bread Ministries has averaged more than four million pounds per year.
Targeting San Antonio’s Poorest Zip Codes
Daily Bread Ministries in partnership with FEED 3 has targeted the poorest zip codes in San Antonio to develop co-ops in locations where Daily Bread Ministries has served for over a decade. In addition to co-ops that feed thousands of San Antonio’s poorest citizens, these Daily Bread partners are involved in children’s programs, community outreach, men’s programs, English Second language classes, mentoring, tutoring, and more.
The West Side
Historically the most impoverished area of San Antonio, zip code 78207 is where 40% of the nearly 56,000 residents live below the poverty line. The average income is $24,197. Among households, about 35 percent receive food stamps, more than three times the national average. In the surruounding area, more than 100,000 live in poverty.
In additon to zip code 78207, is the second poorest area of the West Side is zip code 78214, where 30% of the 23,334 residents live in poverty and 16% live in deep overty.
The East Side
The East Side of San Antonio, while more newly developed, is where 23% of the 32,000 citizens live in poverty, and 14% live in deep poverty. Over 2,337 famlies in the area receive government assistance.
Seniors
Thirty percent of all San Antonio households struggle to pay monthly utility bills and other basic expenses.
Seniors, who are living longer with less of a financial safety net, are hit the hardest. Sadly, 18.3% of San Antonio seniors live in poverty.
Children
The vast majority of the 150 Daily Bread partners serve families with chlldren. Over 118,000 San Antonio Chldren live in “food insecure” homes. Supplemental groceries received by Daily Bread help struggling families make it through the difficult financial times.