Providing food security in uncertain times
By Connie Swann
The city of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department has provided meals to the community for more than 50 years. Kids who were enrolled in the Summer Youth Program could enjoy a healthy lunch and snack at a community center. Children swimming at a city pool could take a break to enjoy a sandwich, juice, and a crisp apple. The meals, funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant, were fresh, accessible, and free for children ages 18 and under. Families that depended on school meals to supplement their groceries relied on the department’s service to fill the gap in food security.
While providing meals to the community has evolved, 2020 has proven to be especially challenging. As the city shut down to help mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, many residents found themselves in dire situations. Because of school closures, sudden job loss, and a population at risk with underlying health conditions, COVID-19 highlighted the disparities in food security. Thousands of people were in food lines, many for the first time.
Throughout the years, San Antonio Parks and Recreation, in partnership with community organizations and vendors, proved to be essential in the herculean effort to feed a community in crisis during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.
A Sense Of Urgency
Beginning in March 2020, recreation team members and the San Antonio Food Bank provided food to families. With community centers closed, these facilities were now utilized as food-distribution sites. Brenda Burton, Assistant Parks and Recreation Manager, notes, “We ran different scenarios; spring break camp just ended, and the decision came down that we're closing. We don’t close, so it was very sobering.” Burton learned of the city closures on a Friday; the following day she received a call from the San Antonio Food Bank. “They needed to get food out to the people,” she recalls. A plan was approved by city leadership on Sunday. Within 72 hours, semi-trucks with pallets of food delivered to various community centers. The recreation team was ready to begin food distribution by Wednesday.