ok, all you natives get ready to drop a lot of hate on me. But someone needs to educate me about the SA Food Bank. I have lived here seven years. Previously, I lived in several major metropolitan areas, all larger than SA. They had food banks but nothing like SA.
1. The SA warehouse would make Amazon jealous. It is huge. This is no dented can operation. Apparently, everyone is comfortable with HEB charging a little more and then keeping the Bank supplied with goods.
2. TV has shown the lines to get the food. I won't belabor the newness of the vehicles or the obesity of the drivers. We all are aware of those issues. People scam the system. The shocking part is the quantity of the food given. Twenty-five pound sacks of beans, rice etc. and tremendous numbers of can goods. The Bank is obviously generous with the quantities and is probably supplying a lot of folks south of the border.
3. The CEO has now changed the mission of the bank and has expanded it to all things that have to do with poverty. This starts to become suspicious. He is going to build low income housing. Scholarships are being offered. Most importantly, they will now have a pet food bank so that Fido can develop the same diabetic issues that his owner has.
4. The CEO makes $300,000 plus and to get a raise in a non-profit organization you must expand your scope of work, but this is ridiculous.
5. If one connects the dots I see the socialist hands of the Castros behind this. Not much accountability here and certainly below the radar of the average taxpayer.

So flame away.

not familiar with it but I think they got a significant donation recently from Makenzie Bezos so maybe the mission change had something to do with that?

What does HEB and dented cans have to do with the food bank?

Thank you for the information. As stated, I am fairly new here. One does not dare say anything derogatory about HEB to a native. There are many things that I like about the store, but most folks have not noticed it's sharp turn to the left. Shortly after Coke stepped on itself and announced its Woke philosophy, I was at HEB to purchase Pepsi. There were none stocked. HEB had decided that the entire soda row would be dedicated to Coke. One poster does not feel that I should mind how St. HEB spends its money. It isn't their money. It is the revenue generated by sales. Maybe the Butts family makes personal contributions and maybe they don't.

You mention mission creep. I have had the opportunity to observe the inner workings of a lot of non profits. The red flag for me was the decision to develop low income housing. Back during the S&L crisis a lot of banks learned that it might have been better to let the developers stay in charge of a property rather than install some banker. I see this as a big money laundering effort. Lots of cash and federal programs are available for use and abuse here. Thus, my mention of the Castro brothers. I really do not know who runs SA and would welcome any enlightenment you care to offer.

Don't know if the CEO is over or under paid. I do know that the amount of food run through this operation is huge. And yes I too have volunteered at other food banks. One poster mentioned the SA bank distributing perishables. That is a new one on me. Most banks confine their efforts to non-perishable items, unless they have the refrigerated facilities to handle them.

I like SA. But, a lot of funny business going on here on the charity side. A bright light needs to be directed towards some of them. I am Catholic and Catholic charities would be the first one I looked at. Any explanation you care to share would be appreciated.

One does not dare say anything derogatory about HEB to a native.
Chuckie Butts is an old school neoLiberal.
There were none stocked. HEB had decided that the entire soda row would be dedicated to Coke.
I am under the impression that shelf space is paid for. Coke doles out the $$$, they get space.
Maybe the Butts family makes personal contributions and maybe they don't.
This might help: The Charles Butt Public Education Political Action Committee Texas Political Action Committee
Have you been to the downtown HEB by their HQ?
HEB wanted the public street next to it for their campus.
The city said, OK, but put a grocery store in.
I really do not know who runs SA and would welcome any enlightenment you care to offer.
Old commercial real estate families, USAA leadership, Nelson Wolfe and the military joint command holds HUGE sway. When private real estate developers were putting $300-$800k homes next to Camp Bullis, the joint base brass pushed back to get their way. They spoke of the "nuclear option" aka "We don't want it to hurt Fort Sam to city and county leaders. This lead to these private developers getting a set of rules to follow.
Don't know if the CEO is over or under paid. I do know that the amount of food run through this operation is huge.
A quality CEO that is managing and growing an organization while developing really high level goodwill is worth some money. Compare that to a George Snuffalu***us on ABC gets paid like $12 million a year to flap him gums on TV. That is no where near what a CEO does.
I am Catholic and Catholic charities would be the first one I looked at. Any explanation you care to share would be appreciated.
Did you read this?
Financial records paint troubling picture of Catholic Charities

SA has some issues, but I thank every day we have McManus over freaks like Art Acevado.
Sure Wolfe is 500 years old and left of center, but he is not like Travis or Harris county judges.
Most middle class conservatives have fled SA for Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, Grey Forest, Helotes, Alamo Heights. This helps keep city council liberal.

Plenty of Pepsi at HEB.

Thank you. You gave me more information than I have ever gotten from a native. I may post some more questions about ol' San Antone, like why the traffic lights are so darn long. Thanks

No pepsi is actually a good thing.

When I lived in the valley, Harlingen, , the hebs down there suck. Nothing like San Antonio.

I was meh re: HEB when I moved here. But then I saw how they reacted in a crisis, namely Harvey. I'm good with HEB now.

I like the overuse of the word "native" by OP. As if he's Columbus, just landed in the New World. Ive lived here 21+ years but I'm not a native.

Ha, I'm a Santa Rosa Hospital baby. I'm a true native.

Since you have over 13000 posts, perhaps I should explain.
First, my reference to "dented cans" has confused many of you. Some fifty years ago, when the food bank idea came into its own, they stocked their pantries by requesting people and stores to send them their dented cans. By saying that SA Food Bank was not a dented can operation I meant that they were not a start up or some kind of fledgling operation.

We moved here a few years ago to be near our daughter who had a terminal illness. We knew no one and our time with her was a priority. What few people we have met, which basically are the tradesmen that work or repair the house, have all been born and raised in SA. It seems that many folks born here, stay here. I cannot think of another phrase to describe someone born and raised here. That is what I meant by native.

I have so source for local information. I came to TexAgs under the very mistaken notion that I might be enlightened by the Aggie Brain trust.TxTarpon took the time to do that and I am appreciative. As for you, I am at a loss to determine who died and made you king. Apparently you are the judge, jury and trier of fact of every post on the SA forum. It is folks like you that prevent me, and others from posting on Texags. You hide behind the anonymity of the web, and loose all basic curtesy. I can only assume that your mother still enjoys your companionship down in her basement, tethered to your computer, Cheetos in mouth, while wearing your cargo shorts, bubble shoes, and a Hawaiian print shirt large enough to tent the Alamo. Have a good day Skippy.

Seriously?!? I am not a frequent poster but I have lurked around here for a couple of decades. A casual observer of a few weeks or a general perusal of this forum will demonstrate to anyone interested that ObiWan is about as stand up as one gets on Internet forums.

You, on the other hand, came on here casting aspersions at a pretty established charity in the SA area. With, I would add. an air of condescension. It's a forum, tones can be mistaken so I'd give you a pass. But this post is textbook jackassery. And in you think I'm in my mama's basement, here's my view today. So I'm gonna go enjoy this gorgeous day and hope you do the same but with a little more self-awareness.

Quote:

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You hide behind the anonymity of the web, and loose all basic curtesy. I can only assume that your mother still enjoys your companionship down in her basement, tethered to your computer, Cheetos in mouth, while wearing your cargo shorts, bubble shoes, and a Hawaiian print shirt large enough to tent the Alamo. Have a good day Skippy.

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Northeast Baptist, baby!

I am a regular donor and volunteer at the SA Food Bank. The percentage of donations spent on administrative fees tiny. Plus, you can always check Charity Navigator if you don't trust the organization.

Sweet view!

There were more than a few comments in the OP that make it hard to feel like you were coming to be "informed". I think that is probably why you're getting some of the pushback.

Your entire post is basically about how this entity seems to be helping more people than you think it should (who you don't believe deserve it, seemingly) and lead ultimately to your concerns that it is socialist, because God forbid a community program in a capitalist society.

Aquin said:

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I can only assume that your mother still enjoys your companionship down in her basement, tethered to your computer, Cheetos in mouth, while wearing your cargo shorts, bubble shoes, and a Hawaiian print shirt large enough to tent the Alamo. Have a good day Skippy.

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I've met his wife but not his mom. He doesn't have a basement but does have a golf simulator at home. Cheetos, no comment but I can see that. Cargo shorts, never. bubble shoes? Not sure what those are. Shirt large enough to tent the Alamo, ABSOLUTELY no comment.

And as a true native, I call it San Antonio Trash. Just need to ask "what high school"?

Aquin said:

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Since you have over 13000 posts, perhaps I should explain.
First, my reference to "dented cans" has confused many of you. Some fifty years ago, when the food bank idea came into its own, they stocked their pantries by requesting people and stores to send them their dented cans. By saying that SA Food Bank was not a dented can operation I meant that they were not a start up or some kind of fledgling operation.

We moved here a few years ago to be near our daughter who had a terminal illness. We knew no one and our time with her was a priority. What few people we have met, which basically are the tradesmen that work or repair the house, have all been born and raised in SA. It seems that many folks born here, stay here. I cannot think of another phrase to describe someone born and raised here. That is what I meant by native.

I have so source for local information. I came to TexAgs under the very mistaken notion that I might be enlightened by the Aggie Brain trust.TxTarpon took the time to do that and I am appreciative. As for you, I am at a loss to determine who died and made you king. Apparently you are the judge, jury and trier of fact of every post on the SA forum. It is folks like you that prevent me, and others from posting on Texags. You hide behind the anonymity of the web, and loose all basic curtesy. I can only assume that your mother still enjoys your companionship down in her basement, tethered to your computer, Cheetos in mouth, while wearing your cargo shorts, bubble shoes, and a Hawaiian print shirt large enough to tent the Alamo. Have a good day Skippy.

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I don't even like cheetos

Oh, so you now know my income. Fascinating.
I am very comfortable with my personal and first hand experience with charities and non- profits. I have seen their workings from the inside and at the executive level.

I have not ridiculed or criticized any volunteers. If you want to volunteer go for it. Like you, I do not know this to be a fact, but I have been told that persons with enlarged inferiority complexes sometimes see slings and arrows where there are none.

Lost in all of the discussion was my criticism of the food bank expanding its purpose to include low income housing, scholarships and a pet food bank. Some years ago I was a director of the Houston Interfaith Housing Corp. , now known as the Texas Interfaith Housing Corp. I do not believe the SA Food Bank is equipped to start that endeavor. Sit back. An idea once launched has a perpetual life. We will be able to watch how that misstep goes.

I didn't know that was the main point but I would like to say I am in complete agreement with your prediction. Seems like the original post was an object lesson in "the more you say, the less they hear."

Aquin said:

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Lost in all of the discussion was my criticism of the food bank expanding its purpose to include low income housing, scholarships and a pet food bank. Some years ago I was a director of the Houston Interfaith Housing Corp. , now known as the Texas Interfaith Housing Corp. I do not believe the SA Food Bank is equipped to start that endeavor. Sit back. An idea once launched has a perpetual life. We will be able to watch how that misstep goes.

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I'm assuming you're talking about the Apple Seed apartments to be built next to the New Braunfels Food Bank. The New Braunfels Food Bank is part of the San Antonio Food Bank for anyone that's not aware.

I don't know if it's a mis-step or not. But know this wasn't the idea of the San Antonio Food Bank CEO. This was the idea of several non-profit leaders and philanthropists in the New Braunfels community. The project is heavily supported by the McKenna Foundation led by Alice Jewell. Alice is an Aggie and good people. And no I am not her.