UPDATE: Highland Lake Crisis Network is providing free food for curbside pickup at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19 at the site of the Granite Shoals Police Department and the Cottonwood Shores Police Department.
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Highland Lakes Crisis Network volunteers Rachel Naumann and Rob Borchardt of Kingsland served hot curbside meals at First United Methodist Church, 1101 Bluebonnet Dr. -
Marble Falls resident Stephanie Bishop utilized the curbside pickup for a round of free hot meals for her family Feb. 17. Photos by Connie Swinney/The Highlander -
Susan Rader, working here with Marble Falls First Baptist Church Pastor Ross Chandler, kept the plates handy for those ready to pick up meals a curbside food distribution point at FUMC, 1101 Bluebonnet Dr. in Marble Falls. Pictured in the backgroun is volunteer Terri Hunter. Connie Swinney/ The Highlander -
Emergency curbside food distribution sites were in Marble Falls (pictured here), Granite Shoals, Kingsland, Llano and Burnet.
With a one-year-old at home and power issues, Stephanie Bishop was ecstatic to find a free hot meals offered for curbside pickup in Marble Falls.
“We’ve been out of electricity for two days (Tuesday and Wednesday). It’s hard to cook and do laundry,” said Bishop, who lives on Bluebonnet Drive. “It’s going to mean a lot. We really do appreciate the community doing this. Our town is awesome.”
Highland Lakes Crisis Network jumped into action first with an emergency shelter at Marble Falls First United Methodist Church, 1101 Bluebonnet Dr., as the winter storm swept through the community. As soon as roads became somewhat passible on Wednesday, Feb. 17, they coordinated the feeding effort in a drive-thru area of the church.
“You make one phone call to the Helping Center. He says come load up your truck. I have everything you need,” said Kevin Naumann, executive director with Highland Lake Crisis Network. “You make one phone call to Numinous (Coffee) and he says I’m in the kitchen, and I’m ready to go.
“Every time one of these things happens, it’s when you see the best come out in people in this community. It’s incredible.”
HLCN is comprised of more than two dozen churches throughout the Highland Lakes. Their effort was supplemented by several private citizens, businesses, Marble Falls Independent School District and the city of Marble Falls.
In one day, they provided food and/or daily needs supplies to approximately 1,500 area residents.
“So many people are ready to jump in and help their neighbor,” Naumann said.
Among those who assisted through the middle of the week were:
• Numinous Coffee Roasters which cooked and packaged more than 100 meals;
• St Frederick Baptist Church which prepared more than 250 meals;
• Marble Falls ISD Child Nutrition donated 250 sandwiches;
• Chick-fil-A Highland Lakes contributed approximately 300 nugget meals;
• Marble Falls Helping Center offered truck loads of non-perishable items;
• First Baptist Church Marble Falls fed more than 800 in area motels; and
• Blue Bonnet Cafe donated a pickup bed full of pies to deliver to families.
“Together, we fed somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500 people,” Naumann stated. “There are so many good things happening. God has shown up in so many ways that it is difficult to even think about listing them all.”
For families like the Bishop, the considerable gesture offered them hope about overcoming the weather event.
“I’m ready for this (weather) to be over with,” she said. “We’re riding it out, making it work. We’ll get through it.”
For more information, to become a volunteer or offer a donation, go to www.highlandlakescrisisnetwork.com.