Bill Elmer and his wife are both in their 70s, retired and have lived in Palm Valley, Texas for twenty years without ever experiencing a flood in their home. “We even went through hurricane Dolly and never had a problem,” Bill said. But on the night of Tuesday, June 25th, it started to rain. “It was the most spectacular rainstorm I’ve ever seen,” he continued. “There was so much lightning.”
The Elmer’s home
The Elmers may not have experienced flooding in their home before, but they both have extensive backgrounds in emergency service and have volunteered many times. “We stayed up until about 9:30, and it was still pouring rain, coming down in buckets. But at that point the streets weren’t flooding so we went off to bed and went to sleep. Around 12:30 or 1 o’clock I hear splash, splash, splash and our dog jumps up into bed…wet.”
The floor in Bill Elmer’s home
They immediately got up and by using a shop vac and squeegees got most of the water and half of the dirt out by the next day. “The following morning we started moping and cleaning up. But we still had dry wall damage and some studs and face plates were wet. “Water also soaked into our rock wool insulation.” They followed FEMA’s suggestion of using a white vinegar and peroxide solution to stop the mold but they were fighting an uphill battle. Continue reading “San Antonio Stakes Travel to Rio Grande Valley for Flood Cleanup”
By Marci McPhee, JustServe Specialist, San Antonio East Stake
“Jesus said, don’t send them away until you feed them. We take these words seriously,” reads the tall orange sign at the entrance to Daily Bread Ministries. In Matthew 14:16 Jesus said these words when He took a humble boy’s offering and miraculously fed the multitude. The gigantic warehouse behind the orange sign signals that Daily Bread Ministries delivers on their commitment to Jesus’ words.
On July 16, 2019, members of the High Country Ward and the Ft. Sam Houston Military Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined community members from Patrick Conway-Keller Williams Realty Group and Guaranteed Rate, Inc. Volunteers, ranging in age from small children to senior citizens, tore open 50 pound bags of dried pinto beans and sealed them in 1 pound bags suitable for individual families. In a healthy competition between two teams, volunteers bagged hundreds of family-sized servings in just an hour. Continue reading “Pitching In at Daily Bread”
By Joe Robledo, East Stake Director of Public Affairs
Today’s mobile food pantry, held the second Saturday of every month at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Galway building, presented a couple of unique twists. The Catholic Charities’ Hope Mobile, usually present, is down in south Texas helping with the recent flooding. With the Hope Mobile noticeably absent, large bins of food commodities were brought inside the building for distribution.
Bins holding the food to be distributed with help from members of a local Baptist Church
Members from San Antonio East Stakes’ 1st Ward and Mission Creek Ward, as well as volunteers from other denominations, combined to support the Catholic Charities Mobile Food Pantry Self Sufficiency Program.
The other unique twist arrived with another mobile unit. The San Antonio Public Library’s Literacy Caravan was on hand at the Church’s Galway building to promote it’s message of family literacy and its role in a child’s future success. Continue reading “Feed and Read!”
Refugees being assisted by the Val Verde Coalition
As refugees approach the southern border of Texas, they are processed through the local authorities and then released to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. They are then given a court date and told to report to their sponsor’s city within 10 days. Because these families come through the border with only the things they can carry, they need a lot of support.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent a truckload of water and hygiene kits for the refugees. The much needed supplies will go to the Val Verde Humanitarian Boarder Coalition. This Coalition is made up of several Churches in the Del Rio area and volunteers in an effort to support the refugees. Families come from as far as Africa, the Caribbean and several Central and South American countries, as well as Mexico. They come speaking not only Spanish, but French, Creole, Portuguese, and various African dialects. Continue reading “Helping Refugees Along the Border”
For many teens who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the first part of summer means Youth Conference. It’s a time to get together for fun and spiritual growth through workshops and service. This was the case for the youth of the San Antonio, Texas North Stake.
According to Stake Young Women’s President, JoAnn Lowry, this year’s youth conference had workshops on, “…spiritual self-reliance, coping skills, preparing for the Temple and missionary work, as well as writing letters to missionaries that are serving from our Stake.”
In addition to the workshops they spent a half-day building bunk beds for the Sleep in Heavenly Peace organization. SHP is a group of volunteers, nationwide, dedicated to building, assembling and delivering quality bunk beds to children and families in need.
“It was a lot of fun to watch,” said Shane Arnold, Vice President of the San Antonio Chapter of SHP. “To have this many kids work for two and a half hours straight without a break and to have them really step up and take ownership was very inspiring. I’m surprised and impressed.” Continue reading “Youth Conference Building Beds and Testimonies”
By Margot Millard, North Stake Media Specialist and Joe Robledo, San Antonio East Stake Director of Public Affairs
The Catholic Charities Adopt-A-Senior program event drew a standing-room-only crowd on Saturday, June 29th, including members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints interested in serving and fellowshipping at-risk senior citizens in the San Antonio community. Funded by the San Antonio Area Foundation, the Adopt-A-Senior program provides elderly individuals lacking an adequate support system with a volunteer advocate who can alert program coordinators to immediate needs.
Volunteers signed up for the Adopt-A-Senior program and to deliver large box fans for Catholic Charities ‘Project Cool.’
Because the elderly are often socially isolated due to circumstances beyond their control, volunteers are encouraged to spend at least one hour (weekly or monthly) engaged with their Senior in activities such as conversation, board/card games, movies, reading aloud, gardening, outings, etc, and are required to periodically submit a care form to the program coordinator about their Senior’s needs. Families with children are especially welcomed as most Seniors delight in interacting with youngsters. In addition to a background check, volunteers must attend an orientation before being paired with a Senior.
Future volunteers for the Adopt-A-Senior program listen attentively as a Catholic Charities employee explains the program.
Lupe Morin, Coordinator of the Adopt-A-Senior program gratefully acknowledged that it was “a blessing that we got to serve every senior that we had. We were afraid that we weren’t going to be able to reach out to all the seniors we had. The fact that they brought their families was really exciting because this is a shared experience. It’s exciting that they want to share it with their children.” Raymond Kirsch, of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, said that “children learn from example and that’s why I was excited to see kids today with their parents cause that’s where they will learn that compassion…this is a great learning experience.”
Mandy Ortega a member of the Church’s Las Palmas Ward, in the San Antonio East Stake, volunteered because, “I like to help and serve with the other churches that are helping. I am happy to do it.” She said it was a joy to be there and to serve, “there are many seniors that I work with and I know what their necessities are right now, and we are distributing much needed fans in this heat and there is a great need to help.”
Kirsch said these visits make “a great difference…individuals that are home bound and isolated are sort of an unsung issue…these people may have no one…and it doesn’t diminish the fact that they need someone. Going over there has an impact.” Stephanie Oatis, Program Coordinator with Catholic Charities’ Retired and Senior Volunteer Program said, “I was excited, knowing that as I visited with a senior and took the time out to spend quality time, that’s huge! One client was hugging my neck and crying saying that I didn’t think anybody cared. That’s why I am here, letting them know that you care”
As operations were being shut down, a volunteer that had gone out to serve a Senior returned and gave a quick report. Tera Gomez volunteered last year and received an email regarding this year’s event. Her motivation to serve others comes from love. She said, “I love helping others so it made me want to help a Senior out.” The senior citizen that Tera visited had no air conditioning. He’d been watching an old western on TV. Tera said, that as soon as she engaged him in conversation “about westerns on TV he lit up.” I kept talking to him and asked him if he liked Clint Eastwood and John Wayne and he said “Yes, Yes” and smiled” Tera said that the man’s wife saw the reaction in the man’s face and said that she had not seen him smile in a long time. Tera said that that experience made her “very happy to get him out his mindset”.
Other volunteers had similar experiences and in so doing, the volunteers and event organizers truly followed the Savior Jesus Christ’s admonition to serve like the Good Samaritan as they did “…go and do thou likewise.”
If you or your family have questions, feel free to contact Lupe Morin, Adopt-A-Senior Coordinator, at (210) 222-1294 Ext. 2275
Imagine if an already large family of five children ballooned overnight to include 178 teenagers and young adults and 22 retired seniors. It will happen for Jason and Stephanie Tveten when they begin their three-year service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Texas San Antonio Mission.
There were several service opportunities for the missionaries to help restore the historic Polley Mansion in LaVernia, Texas
President Todd and DoraLea Polley will be heading back to Tucson at the end of the month having completed their three year mission. They have cherished the opportunity to serve and work with their missionaries. “I have been amazed at the great adjustment the missionaries make to serve.” said President Polley. “Do we realize that some of these missionaries are only six years out from Primary? We ask them to not only be adults, but to be very responsible adults that are focused on community service and on others.” He cites their “abiding love for the Lord” as the only way they could handle the responsibilities that are thrust upon them.
Outside the historic Polley Mansion in LaVernia during another day of restoration work with the elders and President and Sister Polley
Sister Polley has received a greater insight into our Father in Heaven’s love for His children. “It is wonderful how you can love members and missionaries, and have this bond and this love, even with people you just met. It helps you to better understand Heavenly Father’s love.” She added, “It has been surprising to me that the love comes so abundantly and so quickly.” Continue reading “Mission Transition”
By Joe Robledo, East Stake Director of Public Affairs
Earlier this month, a group of volunteers from different denominations assembled to assist Catholic Charities in offering food to those in need. Catholic Charities’ Hope Mobile, their Food Pantry on wheels, parked at the San Antonio East Stake’s Galway building to help distribute grocery items to people who had been waiting. Members from the Catholic Church, Baptist Church, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped assess needs and distribute the food.
When asked about their service, a number of the volunteers responded by mentioning that appreciation is evident in those coming to get food and they are grateful for the volunteers. “We often fail to realize issues of self-esteem that can accompany poverty. It’s important to treat families that arrive for assistance with dignity and respect – it means a lot.” said William Barrera from The Church’s 10th Ward in the San Antonio East Stake. Barrera added, “you can see their appreciation.” Nina Rodriguez, also from 10th Ward, said that “even as we helped them fill out the forms [to get the food] you could see their appreciation. They felt they were well treated and it made their visit to the food pantry less stressful.” Continue reading ““In Poverty’s Vale …””
Diamond with her new fan and Bishop Bruce Baillio outside of Guadalupe Community Center
“I heard about the fans and so I rode the bus and then walked here this morning to get one.” said Diamond. Diamond, like many seniors in the Alamo City is on a fixed income and the fan will help her stay cool while not dramatically increasing her utility bills during the hot summer months. The fan is one of over 5,000 fans that will be given away this summer through the City’s “Project Cool” drive.
Guadalupe Community Center’s storage area with a dwindling supply of fans.
With temperatures already hitting close to 100, the fans have been “going out as quickly as they come in” said Lizzy Nemeth, director of the Guadalupe Community Center which distributes the fans. Continue reading “Very, Very Cool”
Last month, the Sonterra Ward Youth assembled 1,558 cardboard boxes from scratch at the San Antonio Food Book. Sturdy cartons are essential to food bank operations since it is the most convenient way to fill customer orders and distribute them. The youth fulfilled a critical need because without boxes, food sits on a shelf!
The youth were organized into various assembly lines to complete each stage of box construction and storage.
Step #1: Boxes have two parts: top and bottom. Unfold cardboard and tape accordingly. Dance to music that many older leaders recognize from their youth.
Step #2: Throw tops and bottoms to the box assemblers. They assemble boxes with the top outside the bottom, or the bottom inside the top. Same difference. Continue reading “Boxing It Up at the SA Food Bank”
