Deadline approaches for school supplies

Vicki L. George

Bandera County Helping Hand is partnering with a local church to provide school supplies for children in need. They call it Operation Backpack Blessing. The deadline for applying for this assistance is 1 pm on Friday, August 17. Contact Director Jesse Parks for more information.

If anyone wants to donate school supplies for the rest of our client's children, please visit the website of the Bandera Independent School District at www.banderaisd.net or call the schools to find out what is needed. The supplies can be brought to Helping Hand by 4 pm Friday, August 17.

We will distribute all the school supplies beginning August 20.

Three months in a row we have not received any meat from the Food Bank.

We plead with our wonderful supporters to donate meat in any form.

• A young man came from out-of-state. He found a job but has no place to live so he's been sleeping in his car while waiting for his family to send some financial aid for rent. He came to us for some help and we put him up in a motel for a few days.

• Two single moms are trying to make it by sharing expenses. One is on disability while the other works.
They needed food and help with the electric bill and the worker needed gasoline to get to her job. We gave them groceries and kept their power on. We gave the working mom a gasoline voucher for work.

• A single mom with three additional mouths to feed needed some help. She's on disability and has applied for food stamps but she needed groceries now. We gave her the victuals she required.

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to Helping Hand or shop at our Thrift Store, come to 1116 12th Street in Bandera or mail to PO Box 1092, Bandera, TX 78003.

For more information call Helping Hand at 830-796-8300 or visit our website at www.banderacountyhelpinghand.com and join our email list to receive updates and special announcements.

Visit us on our new Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BanderaCountyHelpingHand.