Executive Director Susan Baker started the organization in 2013 after taking over a food bank operated by local churches, Program Director Regina O’Brien said. The faith-based nonprofit has since grown from a handful of volunteers to around 70 volunteers working alongside several full- and part-time employees, she said.
Today, Operation Liberty Hill serves thousands of individuals and families through its food pantry, thrift store and various other programs located at its 11,000-square-foot space off US 183.
A closer look
Operation Liberty Hill provides financial, technology, and job skills courses through its Rise Up program. The Money Fundamentals course teaches participants skills such as budgeting, managing debt and spending wisely and is required for individuals to receive up to $200 in financial assistance a year from the organization, O’Brien said.
“Seventy percent of people who go through a basic money management course become financially stable,” she said.
Residents can learn basic technology skills such as sending emails and participating in teleconferencing through the TechWise program with Austin Urban Technology Movement. The course assists people, including seniors and homeless individuals, who feel they’ve been left behind by technology, and provides participants with a free laptop.
In July, Operation Liberty Hill launched the New Beginnings program in partnership with Liberty Hill ISD to train people on how to become paraprofessionals. Upon completing the program, participants will receive a certificate and guaranteed interview with the district. Operation Liberty Hill hopes to expand New Beginnings to offer additional job skills courses, O’Brien said.
What else?
As LHISD does not have a summer meals program, students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch can receive two meals and several snacks each week during the summer at Operation Liberty Hill. The organization also gives students a backpack, a pair of athletic shoes and socks, and school supplies upon returning to school.
Residents can receive free food items through the organization’s food pantry up to twice a week. Individuals and families participating in the food bank can also obtain free clothing vouchers for six articles of clothing and a pair of shoes for each person in their household every other month.
Additionally, the organization offers a variety of programs to meet community members’ needs during the holidays and provides housing to individuals who are temporarily homeless.
The impact
Operation Liberty Hill has seen an increased need for its services week over week as more families move to the area, and property taxes, and food and gas prices increase, O’Brien said.
The number of services the organization provided to residents increased by 28% from 2022 to 2023, with about 49,000 people assisted last year, she said.
Liberty Hill resident Robert Quinn, who began using the food pantry after being laid off from his job, said Operation Liberty Hill has been a huge resource for his family as groceries become more expensive.
“Being on a limited budget is difficult,” Quinn said. “We’ve got a family of five to feed. This is definitely a blessing in being able to have that resource just to keep your head above water.”
Throughout its programs and services, Operation Liberty Hill seeks to spiritually support those it serves by praying for them and connecting them to local churches, O’Brien said. While some community members may be hesitant to ask for help, Operation Liberty Hill is a shame-free space, she said.
“People walk away feeling loved and accepted instead of judged or looked down on,” O’Brien said. “We try to meet them where they're at and do everything we can to get them back on their feet.”
