Big Give for Hill Country Family Services

OUR APPROACH

HCFS provides emergency food, clothing and financial assistance with extreme dignity for each client.  Each client is required to complete an application to request crisis care services.  HCFS Case Managers use standardized measurement and assessment tools to access each individual situation.  We access each client for their physical, mental and financial needs as well as work with each client in individual goal setting.  We believe that in a crisis, providing these services by a single provider leads to the greatest success.

COMMUNITY NEED

Kendall County is quickly leaving the most vulnerable residents behind through rapidly increasing cost of living and a lack of low-to-no-income services to address an unforeseen crisis.  There are over 5,000 Kendall County residents who face food insecurity, struggle with mental health issues, or catastrophic financial crisis.  Kendall County is experiencing rapid growth and the need for crisis services will grow as quickly as the population as more families are left behind.

BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY

•  3,389 Unique Individuals and 1,058 Unique Families:  We provide healthy fresh produce, meat, dairy and canned food products for over 3,000 unique individuals each year using the USDA My Plate guidelines at the Corner Cupboard grocery pantry. 
• 278,452 Pounds of USDA “My Plate” Food:  Each client selects their own groceries using a grocery cart while shopping in the aisles of healthy foods.  The food is selected with the assistance of a Corner Cupboard volunteer.  They have an opportunity to sample fresh food prepared by one of our volunteers in the test kitchen and they are provided recipes for items that can be found in the Corner Cupboard that day. Clients purchase their items using points based on individual family size and specific family needs.
•  $73,465 of Financial Assistance:  Families in financial crisis find themselves unable to pay for the simplest of things: prescriptions rent, food, utilities and gas for the car. HCFS thoroughly screens and vets applicants who request financial assistance. Our review includes a rigorous assessment of spending for the past 90 days, income, bills and debt. Qualified clients can receive help with water and electrical bills, medical co-pays, prescription co-pays and rent.