The Brown Bag Challenge is a collaborative effort from donors and volunteers, if you would like to donate new items such as socks, t-shirts, toys, dog food, winter
items (gloves, beanies, blankets), towels, etc. Please email us at volunteer@brownbagchallenge.org
The Brown Bag Challenge does not provide shelter for the homeless, as we are an advocacy/volunteer based organization.
Read FYI Magazine -Homeless...what's being done?
http://www.fyicorpuschristi.com/homelessness.html
Did you know?
There are approximately 54,000 to 102,000 homeless people in Texas on any given day. Almost 90% of homeless families
are homeless due to a crisis. One-third of homeless men are veterans, 15,470 in Texas. 40% of homeless youth have a history of sexual abuse. 85% of the Texas homeless have
completed a high school education or GED. For more statistics on the Texas homeless population visit
Texas Homeless Network http://www.thn.org/
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If you need assistance in the Corpus Christi, Texas
Contact Mission 911 . 911 Park Avenue Corpus Christi, Texas 78401 (361) 882-0911
Read our story!
http://caller.com/news/2007/nov/22/ns_brown_bag/
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For more information visit:
www.brownbagchallenge.org
Brown bags fill needs and bellies
For some, thanks is sandwiched between family, gifts of dinner
Kathryn Garcia Caller-Times
Friday, November 25, 2005
Tears welled up in 47-year-old Amelia Salinas' eyes as she watched her two sons, 9-year-old Adrian and 12-year-old Jose, accept a turkey and ham sandwich from a Brown Bag Challenge volunteer Thursday morning.
"We don't have enough money for a turkey dinner. We're going to eat here," said Salinas' husband, Enrique, 48, as he sat on a curb on Leopard Street near Crosstown Expressway holding a brown bag that held his and his family's Thanksgiving meal - two sandwiches in each, one peanut butter and jelly and one ham and turkey.
"They are saints," said Amelia Salinas, who recently moved back to Corpus Christi from Dallas after she left her job with the school district to care for her husband, who is fighting diabetes and a heart condition.
Members of the Salinas family were among 150 people touched by 10 Brown Bag Challenge volunteers, who handed out the paper bags decorated with the phrase, 'Jesus loves you' to the needy Thursday on streets near City Hall.
In addition to two sandwiches, the bags contained toiletries and first-aid kits. The volunteers also passed out dog food for pets and feminine hygiene products to the women. Jessica Davila-Burnett, 30, has organized the challenge, which occurs monthly, since 1999. Davila-Burnett, "We do it because we can," Davila-Burnett said. "It's really hard to not be able to do this on a daily basis." This year, Davila-Burnett said, support for the challenge has grown with more young professionals helping to make sandwiches and a donation from a local bar owner that allowed them to pass out turkey and ham sandwiches, in addition to their traditional peanut butter and jelly.
From the Corpus Christi Caller Times
Heroes
Monday, December 25, 2000
Students spend holiday feeding the homeless
By Venessa Santos-Garza
Caller-Times
Edward Farias wasn't feeling very festive this Christmas Eve.
With no money or a place to stay, getting in the holiday spirit had been difficult for the 50-year-old Laredo man who has been stranded on the streets of Corpus Christi for several weeks.
But Del Mar College student Jessica Davila and her friends shared their Christmas spirit with him.
The group of college students spent their Christmas Eve handing out hot meals and snacks to area homeless and others in need.
"These kids are really showing a lot of heart," Farias said.
Farias was killing time outside of the bus station, waiting as patiently until tomorrow when his family will send a bus ticket for him to get home time for Christmas dinner. In the meantime, Farias said he would enjoy the one Davila had to offer.
That meant fried chicken, potato salad, rice and beans and bread dished out of pots in the back seat of Davila's car.
She and her friends have passed out meals before, but this is the first time it hasn't been sandwich fare.
"I am fortunate enough to have a hot meal. Others are not as lucky," said Texas A&M-Corpus Christi student Cara Edge, 28, one of the volunteers. "I am willing to give up a couple of hours help out, and I hope others will do the same."
The group, which also included Del Mar student Veronica Perez and A&M-CC student Ben Bowen, challenges others to get out and make a difference during the holidays and throughout the year.
"We are not an organization," said Davila. "We are just a bunch of college students trying to give where we can. We want other people to go out and spread the love."
The 'brown bag challenge,' as the group calls it, was funded mostly by donations from friends and local businesses such as Mulligan's Bar on Chaparral Street.
Brown Bag Challenge's Details
Status:
Married
Orientation:
Straight
Zodiac Sign:
Libra
Children:
Proud parent
Education:
Post grad
Brown Bag Challenge is in your extended network view more
Mission Statement:
Challenge the Coastal Bend Area to Grab A Bag and Fill It
With Love. The Brown Bag Challenge is an aid for the
Coastal Bend's homeless and less fortunate. We personally
deliver nutritious meals, necessities, vital information,
related items and positive support for those in need.
The Brown Bag Challenge is a non-profit organization; Brown Bag Challenge relies solely on donations and volunteer efforts. Email us if you would like to volunteer or donate items. volunteer@brownbagchallenge.org
Brown Bag Challenge & Tire Depot Toy Drive
(November 27- December 22)
Who: Tire Depot & Brown Bag Challenge
www.tiredepot-1.com . www.brownbagchallenge.org
What: Tire Depot will serve as a drop off location for those wanting to donate a new unwrapped toy(s) to the Brown Bag Challenge (all toys will benefit the Brown Bag Challenge Christmas Children’s Toy Drive, an aid for the homeless in the Coastal Bend). Donors will receive 5% off any auto service with a toy donation. Toy must be new and unwrapped.
Why: The Brown Bag Challenge will hit the streets for the annual Christmas Event for the 2007 Holiday Season. In addition to the sack lunches, and a hot meal, the Brown Bag Challenge wishes to continue the tradition in providing the homeless children of Corpus Christi's with a new toy(s). Since most of the children who are homeless (those truly living on the streets) are not registered with an authorized agency to receive donated toys from other charitable toy drives, the Brown Bag Challenge ensures and delivers toys to all homeless children on the streets the day of the official Brown Bag Challenge without having those required fulfillments.
When: Beginning November 27 – December 22, 2007, (M-F) 8am-5pm, (Sat) 8am-2pm, Sunday Closed.
Where: Tire Depot Auto Service - 3926 ACUSHNET (BEHIND MILLER'S BBQ AT SARATOGA AND WEBER). 361.334.7348
Who I'd like to meet: The Brown Bag Challenge is 100% volunteer driven.
Since 1999
The Brown Bag Challenge is a volunteer movement in Corpus Christi, Texas, that focuses ..ing those less fortunate and the homeless community. The Brown Bag
Challenge is a grass-roots operation that advocates for
the homeless men, women, and children in the Coastal
Bend area. Each month the Brown Bag Challenge volunteers hit the streets to provide lunches and valuable
resources to those living on the streets or near homelessness.
