HUTTO, Texas — The holidays are always a busy time for people collecting donations for those in need. This year has brought even more requests for help because of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"People are just really, really hurting, like, they need help like crazy," Jackie Corbiere, the creator of Helping Hands of Hutto, said.
Helping Hands and the Hutto Resource Center (HRC) focus on helping people in need within the city. According to Donna Jones, the executive director of HRC, the need for food and financial assistance has gone up from 75 families per week to about 125 families per week. For Thanksgiving, HRC served about 170 families, and she anticipates the same for Christmas.
"They might have had a great income last year," Jones said. "This year they might not ... If you're hungry, you're hungry. You shouldn't have to answer a million questions just to get some food."
Jones and Corbiere have both seen families that were in a position to help last year in a position of needing help this year.
"They're like, 'I lost my job or, you know, I got COVID-19, so it set me back financially,' you know? So I'm here and it's like, 'That's great ... You helped us and now we're going to help you,'" Jones said.
PHOTOS: Donations collected for people in need this holiday season
In Lakeway, Gretchen Vance has heard the same story.
"The pandemic has really drawn a line between the people whom it has not affected economically and people that it has affected economically," Vance said.
Vance, a member of the city council, started the Lakeway Broadcast Angel Tree initiative on Facebook about five to six years ago. It started with helping one family. This year, Vance is facilitating assistance for 12 families, about 40 people.
"We don't ever want a family to feel less than or insignificant," Vance said.
Vance and co-creator Mike Dahlhouser pair families in need with families who are able to help. Both are kept anonymous from each other for privacy reasons. Vance and Corbiere both reference people who reach out are typically embarrassed to do so. Both Vance and Corbiere say they shouldn't be.
"It's really best for just the mental health of everyone involved, like, the mental health of the families," Vance said. "It's not really about relationships here. It's more about just fulfilling the needs for these families during the holiday."
"The biggest concern right now is utilities being shut off and presents for the kids," Corbiere said.
Lakeway Broadcast Angel Tree operates only within the Lake Travis ISD. Vance said she works with the school district to make sure people who are nominated to receive donations actually need those donations. She added that some of the nominations will come from school counselors.
If you would like to donate, you can contact Hutto Resource Center online, Lakeway Broadcast on social media or Helping Hands of Hutto on social media.
If you are in need this holiday season and live in Hutto or within Lake Travis ISD, you can contact Hutto Resource Center online or visit the food pantry at Hutto Lutheran Church, Lakeway Broadcast on social media or Helping Hands of Hutto on social media.
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