Juan is a delightful young man trying to make his way in life after graduation from Brazosport High School in 2020. After graduation, Juan joined a specialized program, Project SEARCH Dow Freeport, which is a high school-to-work program designed to prepare young adults with disabilities for gainful employment through the community. This program is a partnership between Brazosport ISD, Dow Texas Operations, and Texas Workforce Commission.
Juan gained employment as a Security Gate Officer with a security company through his time with Project SEARCH. Juan was able to move into an apartment and began to learn how to live on his own. Unfortunately, the security company cut Juan’s hours to part-time hours. He began to struggle to make ends meet from paycheck to paycheck. He was often faced with eating only ramen noodles.
Juan met with a former teacher from Project SEARCH who has volunteered with Brazosport Cares. She encouraged him to visit the pantry. Juan was apprehensive about asking for food assistance since he had made many significant steps in his life. Juan reached out to Community Engagement Specialist Paige Crow Tracy, who welcomed him with open arms and helped him enroll for food assistance from Brazosport Cares. Juan was so excited that he could receive meat and fresh veggies rather than ramen noodles.
Since Juan’s initial visit to Brazosport Cares, he has continued to live on his own. “I was struggling and wasn’t able to afford anything until Mrs. Tracy recommended it. I was so sad and was ready to give up. Once I started coming to Brazosport Cares, I was able to get things under control and really appreciate the help they gave me,” Juan shared.
Thank you all to all of our donors and volunteers who help make sure those in need get extra help, especially for students like him who are learning to live on their own!
Ariel was raising herself at age 14. Her parents had taken off. Then, her guardian’s spouse abused her. Thankfully, Ariel found refuge with a cousin in Brazoria County. At school, Ariel had a free lunch, but she was often going hungry on the weekend. Ariel’s school counselor signed Ariel up for the Brazosport Cares Powerpack program and received a backpack filled with food for the weekend. That backpack not only filled Ariel’s stomach. It also filled her heart with the knowledge that someone, anyone, cared about her. Today, Ariel is an Army veteran and leads a nonprofit that serves homeless vets. And she supports the Brazosport Cares Powerpack program- so more kids know they’re not alone.
Savannah is a 21-year-old stay-at-home mother of a 6-month-old baby boy and lives with her husband, Curtis. Until recently, Savannah and her husband have relied on unemployment benefits and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for over a year as Curtis was looking for a job.
Curtis recently gained employment, and the future began to look bright for the young couple. Earlier this month, Savannah and her family experienced unexpected storm damage expenses to their home from Hurricane Nicholas. Savannah and her family were without power for three days. They opened windows for air circulation and used candlelight in the evenings. Unfortunately, the food in the family’s refrigerator and freezer spoiled, and they incurred damage to their home from the storm.
Savannah and Curtis are waiting on their SNAP benefits to reimburse them for the lost food. Savannah’s mother encouraged the couple to visit Brazosport Cares Free Farmers Market in Brazoria on Friday, September 17th, for food assistance. “More than anything, my son needs formula, and we need just enough to get us by until we get money back on the SNAP card. This is my first time to Brazosport Cares, and everyone has been so warm and welcoming,” Savannah shared.
Because of your support, food assistance and relief were available to help Savannah and Curtis, along with our other neighbors in Brazoria County, in the aftermath of Hurricane Nicholas. Thank You, Hunger Heroes!
