Public benefit programs across the country and in Central Texas have experienced reductions in funding, access and participant eligibility, according to St. David’s Foundation.
As families struggle to access the support resources they need while costs rise, St. David’s Foundation has provided grant funding to help.
St. David’s Foundation announced it will award grants totaling $40.1 million to Central Texas organizations focused on delivering economic stability services, including income support, food security and healthcare access.
The overview
The foundation launched its We All Benefit 2.0: Building Economic Stability funding opportunity in March to invest in local organizations that provide the essential services. From the 169 organizations that submitted a letter of intent, 39 will receive grant funding.
Over the three-year funding period, the grants are expected to connect more than 60,000 people with the programs, increasing incomes and improving access to food and healthcare, according to a St. David’s Foundation news release.
“We've been spending a lot of time thinking about who in our community is struggling to make ends meet,” said Kim McPherson, St. David’s Foundation senior program officer. “Many of these folks are eligible for [benefit services], but they either don't know they're eligible, or they know they're eligible and the system has just been too hard for them to navigate.”
The foundation determined that providing funding support to organizations with expertise in public benefit systems and existing connections to marginalized communities will help increase the number of in-need citizens enrolled in service programs, McPherson said.
“Really trying to maximize and leverage the existing public benefits infrastructure felt to us like a wise first step,” McPherson said. “If we can close this gap by getting more people who are eligible enrolled, then their financial struggles will be made a lot easier. It's not going to solve everything, but it will make it a lot easier.”
The organizations receiving grant funding will support community members beyond service enrollment and ensure they understand the full offerings of their programs, McPherson said.
Additionally, the organizations will provide immediate support as citizens go through the enrollment process.
The details
St. David’s Foundation awarded grants to organizations across its five-county coverage area: Travis County, Hays County, Bastrop County, Caldwell County and Williamson County.
In Hays County, five organizations received funding. The grant recipients provide a variety of services, ranging from economic stability to benefits navigation.
“With these organizations, we're not just funding them,” McPherson said. “We'll be bringing them together in cohorts for them to learn from one another and have access to technical assistance. We're hoping there'll be a little bit of magic and beauty created when there are some peer learning opportunities.”
The need
More than 40% of residents in Central Texas facing food insecurity do not qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, according to the news release. Economic stability has a major impact on access to essential needs, such as food, healthcare and housing.
“About a third of our community really struggles each month to pay their bills, and looking at who they are, we realized many of them are likely eligible for some form of public benefit that would make that struggle a lot easier,” McPherson said.
By providing support tailored to their communities and marginalized groups, the organizations will work to break down enrollment barriers and help citizens reach economic stability, according to the release.
“If you're not sure you're eligible, ask, get help and go to one of these organizations,” McPherson said. “They are there because they want to help you. They are going to make you feel supported. They are not going to make you feel rushed. If it turns out that you're eligible, that can be a game changer for not just you but your entire family.”
