This Year’s Season of Giving
During this holiday season, we have seen a much colder winter than we have in recent years. In fact, some places in the Coastal Bend have reached close to freezing temperatures. While we are experiencing these extremely cold weather situations, it is important for us to remember those who are facing difficult conditions and are currently without a home. In Texas, there are a variety of organizations that help to assist those who are in need. Many of these organizations rely heavily on the support of their local communities to help further many of their initiatives so they can continue their worthy programs.
The Texas Homeless Network is one of these great organizations that works to help those individuals that find themselves in difficult circumstances. One of the key challenges that many of the advocacy groups face is to try and maximize their resources for outreach and to try and minimize administrative expenses. The Homeless Network in particular, has proactively streamlined their organization and its structure to where they are able to spend roughly 97% of their funds on their programs, while having a small portion of their budget going towards administrative expenses. In 2010, the Texas Homeless Network worked to train over 1700 people and conducted close to 200 training sessions across the state. During that same year, the organization was awarded the Outstanding Homeless Management Identification System Achievement Award for Effective Project Management by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This award was in recognition of their impressive ability in working to revamp their Homeless Management Identification System which addressed data quality issues as well as usability concerns.
In South Texas, the Homeless Issues Partnership (HIP) is a non-profit organization that acts as Corpus Christi’s Homeless Coalition. The HIP is made up of a number of local businesses, agencies, and individuals that work with the objective of resolving and addressing the issues related to the homeless community in the Coastal Bend. Much of the participation from this organization is done through outreach in education and their resources and actions are directed toward those who are currently living without a place they can call home. If you are interested in becoming involved with HIP they meet every second Thursday of each month at Corpus Christi City Hall in the Sixth Floor Conference Room at 11:00 a.m. All interested parties are welcome to attend.
If you would like to help this holiday season or at any time during the year, Nueces County has many charities and organizations that you can get involved with. If you would like to make a donation of food or personal care products you can do so at:
Food Bank of Corpus Christi
826 Krill Street
Corpus Christi, TX 78408
361-887-6291
Those wishing to donate clothing can do so at a number of charities and organization located throughout Nueces County.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part). I can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
