DIANA'S STORY
Diana Mateja has served on our Meal Planning Team for several years. She grew up in San Antonio and knows firsthand the challenges of poverty and the value of education. She says, “When you’re hungry, you can’t think straight, and it effects your ability to learn, but the way out of poverty is through a good education.” Diana graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Engineering and says, “The minute I graduated from college, my life completely changed, so if kids can graduate, their lives will change.”
The Meal Planning Team plans 3 months ahead to find creative recipes that are easy, fresh and use few ingredients. On a budget of $35 per weekend for food, the goal is to offer variety and recipes a student can follow. Diana tells how her first weekend meal plan used potatoes in every recipe for cost savings but then realized a 5 pound bag of potatoes was too heavy for a child to carry home. Even canned goods can be too much, so the challenge for the Meal Planning Team is high but is rewarding knowing families are fed and children are succeeding.
Hungry Souls provides more than meals for students and families in need. Because of generous gifts, families receive a crockpot with recipes and ingredients, too. Gifts of all levels provide nutritious meals to food insecure families. Every gift offers help and hope to feed students and their families and break the cycle of poverty when you give to Hungry Souls.
“I volunteer because I believe in the work to help children. By providing nutritious recipes, our students benefit because they feel better which leads to being able to learn better.” - Diana Mateja
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE
I continue to be amazed at the potential of Hungry Souls. As we work to build upon the foundation of this ministry, we’re seeing many exciting indications of growth already coming, and I can’t wait to see what God will do through this organization.
One of the unique aspects of Hungry Souls and its program is the distribution of crockpots to each family receiving food. These are given with the goal to provide quality meals and foster quality family time. That alone is a recipe for success, and it seems this year’s annual crockpot drive was, too.
Doors are opening for strategic conversations with corporations and schools to streamline processes and feed even more students, and partnerships are strengthening and aligning to better source this critical program that impacts so many families. Increased interest from businesses wanting to be involved this fall and the dedication of our volunteers amaze us.
With these opportunities and responses, our aggressive goal to increase by 50% this fall seems to be easily within reach. Please pray for strength and guidance to meet the increasing need. With God’s hand and your help, we can rise to this calling and challenge. Don’t miss an opportunity to be a part of what God is doing through Hungry Souls. Something’s cooking!
Serving Him,
Jimmy West
Interim Executive Director
RANDY ROGERS & FRIENDS BENEFIT CONCERT
October 13, 5:30-10PM | Oasis Texas Brewing Co
Join us for this special benefit concert hosted by Hungry Souls featuring performances by Randy Rogers along with Brady Black, Geoffrey Hill, William Beckmann, Emily Ann Jones, JesseLee Jones and Brandon Rhyder. Proceeds from the evening will provide full meals to students and their families when school is not in session and help feed over 1500 individuals weekly in Central Texas.
PUTT FORE PLATES 2022
October 29, 3-7PM | Butler Pitch & Putt
Come to the 2nd annual Putt Fore Plates charity golf event benefitting Hungry Souls. Enjoy a round of golf with teams of up to 6. There will be an assortment of prizes, live music, beverages and food from local hot spots. All proceeds will help feed food insecure children and their families.
GET INVOLVED
Our Meal Planning Team volunteers their time to select recipes specifically designed to make nutritious meals easy and accessible, so items can be intentionally collected and distributed in cooler bags along with weekly menus. You can be a part of the Meal Planning Team at Hungry Souls, too. From the comfort of your home, provide fresh recipes using simple ingredients, or gather with others to assess recipes and plan meals.
Van Drivers are also needed to deliver food to schools after volunteers process and prepare the cooler bags.
Click here for more information. Your partnership makes it possible to provide meals.
TOP CROCK RESULTS
We asked for Top Recruits, and you showed up! Our mission of collecting 125 crockpots was far exceeded because of your generous giving. Hungry Souls has received 232 crockpots so far, and we’re still counting! Donors like you help accomplish our mission of feeding more families.
Each crockpot will go to a new family joining our program, so they can make our easy recipes and feed the whole family over weekends and during school breaks. That’s 232 more families and over 850 more individuals! God must be getting ready to do something big through Hungry Souls. Your generosity helps students and families.
DONATE
Hungry Souls is preparing to add 50-75 students and their families this fall which equates to more than 20,000 additional meals. With your help, we could exceed this goal as well because the need is there. Will you give now so more can receive meals and experience the love of Jesus in tangible ways? Thank you for giving to Hungry Souls to offer help and hope to families in need.