McLennan County Hunger Coalition

United to end hunger in McLennan County

Pack of Hope Press Release at Provident Heights Elementary

Jan 23

Posted by Brett in Uncategorized | No Comments

A few weeks ago the McLennan County Hunger Coalition, along with Valero representatives met with McLannan County Pack of Hope at Provident Heights Elementary school to prepare a press release about the Pack of Hope award. This is the video that aired on the Waco ISD. In the video, Valero Representative Ed Passalugo, and Hunger Coalition Chairperson Kenneth Moerby along with others discuss the significance of the award and why the Pack of Hope program is important. To learn more about the Valero Grant and its specifics read our press release here. To Donate to Pack of Hope send a check to McLennan County Pack of Hope. P.O Box 1545 Waco, TX 76703. You can print and mail the form below with your donation.  For every $2 Pack of Hope Receives the Hunger Coalition will match it with $1. Visit the Pack of Hope website at http://www.pack-of-hope.com/

MLK Day 2012 at Brook Ave Elementary

Jan 17

Posted by Brett in Uncategorized | No Comments

Gardening is fun!This Monday our partners at the Urban Gardening Coalition successfully pulled off another mass gardening campaign as part of the MLK Day of Service.  The Heart of Texas Urban Gardening Coalition hosts gardening workshops every MLK day as a way to spread the spirit of community service as well as improve gardens around Waco. I was fortunate enough to visit the Brook Avenue site this past Monday and help out.

The day started around 12:00pm with a healthy lunch provided by campus kitchens. The lunch consisted of a delicious turkey wrap, a banana and sun chips with sweet tea and water to drink. There were also granola and peanut butter wraps for vegetarians.  After lunch we began to pull out out the old wood frames that surrounded the current school garden plots. We had to tear out the old frames because they were being eaten away by weeds and weather damage. The new frames that we put in were solid concrete. There was a bit heavy lifting involved but the weather was pleasant and there were a lot of other volunteers to help. After the cement frames were set up new soil was placed inside the frames. Once the soil was in place and spread around evenly, potatoes and one onion were handed out to the kids to plant. When all was said and done the garden was improved and the kids had a lot of fun helping out with everything as well as learn a thing or two about gardening.

 

Overall, MLK day at Brook Ave Elementary school was a success. At the same time I was volunteering at Brook Ave there were many other gardening sites all around Waco doing the same thing. The gardening sites set up by the UGC are part of the National MLK Day of Service. The MLK Day of Service was created to honor the memory and spirit of Dr. King by creating ways for people to serve their community in order to solve our most pressing problems in the local and national community. If you are interested in learning more about the MLK day of service visit their site at. www.mlkday.gov.

MCHC receives $22,500 Valero Grant

Jan 9

Posted by Brett in Hunger Coalition, MCHC News | No Comments

Kenneth Moerbe and Ed Passalugo

The MCHC recently received a grant of $22,500 from the Valero Energy Foundation. Kenneth Moerbe, on the behalf of the MCHC Board applied for this grant in May of 2011 after learning that the Valero Foundation, through its Valero Texas Open Benefit for Children PGA Golf Tournament, raises money for children’s charities in the communities where Valero has major operations. The grant proposal outlined some of the ways in which the MCHC encourages and supports local programs to reduce child hunger in McLennan County. The MCHC Board of Directors is in the process of determining which local organizations will be assisted in their efforts to reduce child hunger in the county. If you have any suggestions on how the MCHC can use this money towards solving the problem of child hunger in McLennan County please contact us at mchcvista@gmail.com or contact Kenneth Moerbe at kpmoerbe(at)grandecom(dot)net

 

Update 1/11/12: The MCHC Board of Directors has decided to give a gift of $10,000 to the Pack of Hope (POH), a backpack program,  currently serving children in need in nine McLennan County ISDs.  The POH presently is providing child-friendly, nutritious food to over 400 children on weekends, when they do not have access to free or reduced breakfasts or lunches provided on Monday-Friday by the local Child Nutrition Services in these nine ISDs.  It is a well known fact that thousands of children in McLennan County are unable to obtain adequate nutrition on weekends.  MCHC’s gift is a matching gift which will provide $1.00 (up to $10,000) for every $2.00 donated to the POH during 2012, hopefully generating a total of $30,000 to support this much needed effort to provide food for hungry, school-age children in McLennan County.

 

 

 

Gearing up for MLK day 2012

Jan 6

Posted by Brett in event information, Hunger Coalition, MCHC News | 1 Comment

Do something positive for your community this MLK Day.  Celebrate the spirit of Doctor King by taking part in one of the many service oriented events happening in Waco. This January 16th our friends at the Urban Gardening Coalition will be hosting  gardening workshops around the city from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. You can find out more about the UGC’s activities here.  Visit one of the following websites to register yourself, your friends or your families;  search for garden events on Idealist.org and MLKDay.gov or go straight to the registration info for Waco MLK Day Events on Eventbrite.

Our friends at Mission Waco will also be hosting service opportunities.  At 10:30 AM they will have a program on Dr. King and racial reconciliation at 10:30 in the Jubilee Theatre.  Meet in their office later at 1:00pm for the opportunity to serve at one of their various volunteer sites.