The Home of the Brave
On a sunny Saturday morning, downtown Killeen is peaceful and quiet, with few locals out and about at 8 a.m. At the corner of Avenue C and 8th Street, a line is already wrapping around the corner in front of an electronics store. Outside, almost thirty families are waiting for the pantry at the Capital Area Food Bank’s partner agency Operation Once in a Lifetime to open at 10 a.m. Patiently waiting in line at Operation
Once in a Lifetime is Sylvia, army wife and mother of three. Smiling, she tells how the army has given the couple from San Antonio an opportunity to live around the world, including in Korea and Germany. “You get to see different cultures, the way they live. It’s awesome,” she said. After years of having to pick up and move, often times at the drop of a hat, Sylvia is delighted to be in her home state. However, some things continue to be
“They think ‘if I can protect my country, why can’t I feed my family?’” -Sylvia, army wife & mother of three 2
Order your Holiday Cards! This holiday season, let us mark one thing off your list with CAFB Holiday Cards! Let your family, friends, and neighbors know you’ve made a donation on their behalf and spread the spirit of generosity to your loved ones this year. To order, call Elizabeth Davies at (512) 684-2552 or email edavies@ austinfoodbank.org. Suggested donation: $3 per card.
complicated. With two teenagers and a young daughter, their budget is tight with only one income. “My husband and I, if our truck breaks down, we might not have enough for groceries,” she explains. In times like these, Sylvia reaches out for help at Operation Once in a Lifetime, a new food pantry based in downtown Killeen. Sylvia’s family is hardly alone. Killeen is a community approximately 70 miles north of Austin and the home to many military families based at Fort Hood, the largest military installation in the United States. “We’re serving thousands of soldiers, veterans and their families,” explains John Valentine, director of Operation Once in a Lifetime. “Our partnership with the Capital Area Food Bank has been tremendous, without their assistance and their help, we wouldn’t be able to help as many people as we want to. We wouldn’t be successful,” Valentine continued. Operation Once in a Lifetime is one of 300 partner agencies across 21 counties that receives food and support from the
Capital Area Food Bank, helping the Food Bank reach people in need across the region. Over ten percent of the Capital Area Food Bank’s Partner Agencies are based in Killeen, making it one of the largest concentrations of partners outside of the Austin Metro area. Despite the immense efforts in Killeen to meet the needs of military families, the demand is still growing. Food insecurity is a persistent issue for military families, one that is often not addressed. According to the 2010 Census, some 1.5 million households with a veteran were receiving SNAP benefits (food stamps). However, many veterans feel the pain of stigma about asking for assistance. “They think if I can protect my country, why can’t I feed my family?” explained Sylvia. As the wife of an accomplished soldier, she understands the struggle. She imagines the stress if Operation Once in a Lifetime was not there to help families like hers. “It would be so hard on a lot of soldiers. A lot of them struggle,” she said.
“If we are going to help this community, we will need the support of the Capital Area Food Bank now more than ever,” he explained. As the holidays quickly approach, he is making plans on how to help families make the best memories around the dinner table by preparing a special event to distribute turkeys for Thanksgiving. “These are our friends, our neighbors in our community. If we don’t help them, who will?” said Valentine.
Families struggle with more than the emotional stress of knowing their family member is in danger. Children worry about their parents’ welfare when they are deployed and whether they will see them again. “It is harder on the children than the military wives. They worry if they will see daddy again” said Sylvia, remembering her own experience. The strain on family finances is that much more when a loved one is deployed. The family left behind many times must struggle to make ends meet. “When your husband is deployed, sometimes it is hard to make it from paycheck to paycheck,” explained Valentine. While many troops are returning home from abroad, Operation Once in a Lifetime does not anticipate an end to the demand for their services. “Since we opened, the number of people we serve has doubled” said Valentine. The growth has far exceeded his expectations but he knows that even a little bit of help goes a long way for families like Sylvia’s
‘Tis the season to help the hungry. Visit our website, austinfoodbank.org, to learn how you can help. 3