Helping End Hunger--the United Way
 Right here in Houston, one in three families has trouble buying groceries each month and thousands go without food, or without enough food, every day. United Way is here to help with basic needs assistance, food pantries, nutrition counseling, meal delivery and more. Again and again, food tops the list of requests in calls to the 2-1-1 Texas/United Way HELPLINE. With one call to 2-1-1, individuals and families in the Houston area are connected with food and meal programs, grocery assistance and more—right in their own neighborhoods. Obtaining enough healthy food is one of the greatest challenges for low-income individuals and families in the Houston area. Proper nutrition can boost energy levels, improve mental health, strengthen immune systems, and reduce health problems. Here’s how United Way is addressing hunger in our community: Home-delivered meals: United Way makes a substantial investment to provide hot, nutritious meals to thousands of Houstonians every day. Home-delivered meals are carefully planned by a nutritionist and each meal provides at least one-third of the recommended daily allowance of calories. Meals are delivered by caring volunteers and staff and help those who are home-bound, elderly and disabled stay healthy. Congregate meals: Planned by a nutritionist, congregate meals are served daily at community centers and other sites throughout Houston. Like the home-delivered meals, congregate meals help prevent isolation and allow staff and volunteers to monitor the health and well-being of their clients. Congregate meal sites often provide access to and help with other health and human services. Food pantries: United Way invests in food pantries and grocery assistance to help those who are struggling to make ends meet. In Houston, more than 80,000 individuals receive assistance from food pantries every week. Of them, 44 percent are children. Just $200 a month can provide 218 families with groceries for one week—and have a profound impact on their health and well-being. Holiday meal programs: As the holiday season approaches, United Way is working to make sure that everyone in our community has food to warm their bellies and their souls. We support holiday meal programs that provide special meals and/or additional food, making this time of year brighter for families and individuals who need it most. United Way is committed to helping people in our community become self-sufficient, healthy and strong. Through food pantries, grocery assistance, meal programs and nutrition counseling, we give families and individuals a better chance of not only surviving, but thriving. It’s how we do something about it—the United Way. |
