Mission Marble Falls pays it forward with donation to Boys and Girls Club food program
Mission Marble Falls recently gave a boost to the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes with a $5,000 donation. Mission Marble Falls was awarded $9,000 during 100 Chicks for Charity event Feb. 1. Organizers with Mission Marble Falls pledged to use part of the funds to support the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lake, which has been without a food program for several months. Pictured are Steve Lackey (front, left) of Mission Marble Falls, Crissy Alderman of 100 Chicks for Charity, Kara Buster of Mission Marble Falls, Victoria Rucker of the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes, Vicki Campbell of 100 Chicks for Charity, Grant Dean of Mission Marble Falls; Brooks Blake (back, left) of Mission Marble Falls, the Rev. George Perry of Mission Marble Falls, Danny Buster of Mission Marble Falls, and Bill Drake of the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON
When one nonprofit helps another, it just goes to show the depth of caring found in the Highland Lakes.
That’s exactly what happened Feb. 28 when Mission Marble Falls board members stopped by the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes with a check for $5,000.
“The support we’ve had from this community has been incredible,” said Bill Drake, the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes executive director.
The funds will help the club with its food program, which was left unfunded Jan. 1 after the national organization decided to shift the responsibility to the state and local groups. The Texas Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs began the process of taking over the food program for state clubs, but that requires approval from the Texas Department of Agriculture, something Drake said can take time and effort.
Officials had hoped to get the new food program in place by March, but that depends on the TDA approving the paperwork. With each club from across the state submitting paperwork through the Texas alliance, even a small mistake on one line among pages and pages of documents could mean a delay.
The Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes serves about 350 meals a day across its five sites: Marble Falls unit, Burnet unit, Burnet teen center, Granite Shoals, and Kingsland.
The club put the word out earlier this year about the situation, and the community and organizations have responded, including Mission Marble Falls.
The faith-based, nonprofit soup kitchen received a $9,000 donation during a 100 Chicks for Charity event Jan. 31. It also was awarded about $10,000 last year from 100 Man Give A Damn. Mission Marble Falls Vice President Grant Dean felt the organization was in a position to lend a hand to the Boys & Girls Club and presented it with $5,000 for its food program.
Mission Marble Falls provides free meals to the community, no questions asked. Feeding people is just part of its role, and helping ensure Boys & Girls Club members get a meal after school fits its mission
The Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes units serve meals to members when they arrive after school. Drake pointed out that some of the kids eat lunch as early as 10:30 a.m., meaning it could be another five hours before they get to a club site at about 3:30 p.m. and are able to eat.
“They’re just hungry when they get here,” he said. “It’s hard for them to focus if they’re hungry.”
The club tries to serve a meal or, at least, a heavy snack. For some kids, Drake said, this could be the most significant meal they get until breakfast the next morning at school.
“We’re still working on getting (the state food program) approved by the TDA, but until it does, we’re relying on the community to help us out,” he said. “We’re so thankful for Mission Marble Falls for this donation.”
More donations are always welcome. People and organizations can help by donating money and/or non-perishable food items.
These can be dropped off at:
- Marble Falls unit, 1701 Broadway in Marble Falls, (830) 798-2582
- Burnet unit, 704 Northington in Burnet, (512) 756-1444
- Kingsland unit, 3455 RR 1431 West in Kingsland, (325) 388-2800
“Anything helps,” Drake added.