By Jennifer Dorsett
Field Editor
In Bell County, the need for hunger relief, homelessness aid and prevention and basic human need assistance has increased by 64 percent since the COIVD-19 pandemic first began, according to Feed My Sheep Temple Director Staci Masson.
Providing those services is a little easier now, thanks to a generous donation from Bell County Farm Bureau (CFB).
“When the Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) Feeding the Need program was announced, we as a board of directors said, ‘if there was ever a time to help out, it’s right now,” Bell CFB Vice President Robert Fleming said. “We were able to make a bigger donation because of that program, so we’re very thankful and glad we could help.”
Feed My Sheep Temple is a ministry that provides hot meals and sack lunches to needy and homeless people every day. In addition to hunger relief, the non-profit group offers showers and laundry services for the homeless, hosts a once-a-month children’s medical clinic, aids in family reunifications and provides furniture, clothing and toiletry items for those in need.
Masson told Fleming, who dropped off the $2,000 check at Feed My Sheep’s downtown Temple center, those services are more in need than ever due to the economic impacts of the pandemic.
“They have all kinds of programs to help people, not only places to get meals, but they help people get back on their feet with furniture, gently used clothes and that sort of thing,” Fleming said. “When I went to drop off our donation, I circled the block looking for a parking spot. It was kind of overwhelming to see how many people were waiting for assistance. Everything is volunteer-based, so we know they really could use some extra help right now to keep offering all those services.”
Helping the community is part of what Bell CFB strives to do every year, but finding ways to offer assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic was important for the county organization.
“As a board of directors, we had never donated to this particular organization before, but we try to do what we can to help people in our community,” he said. “This is a really great program, and they’re doing a lot to help those who really need it. So, we’re proud to be able to utilize the matching funds and make a greater impact with our donation.”