Crisis Bread Basket unites community

Wimberley has drawn most of us that live here with its small town charm, and the nature that surrounds the valley. But after a while, the community spirit grows on you, making it your hometown and protective of it.

That’s how Crisis Bread Basket came about. During the holiday season, donations are especially needed. Formed by Wimberley individuals with the only goal was to feed the hungry in the valley. For over thirty years, it is still achieving that goal.

Local citizens, Peg and Jack Maher along with Tom Hingle in 1986, provided food from the back of their cars. Its first building was an ex- auto parts business. Hearing about the individual efforts, churches soon joined in, St. Mary’s, St. Stephens, then Wimberley United Methodist. The whole valley soon embraced the CBB.

When they moved to the present location, local citizens in groups and individually helped with the building and the addition of a porch in the back in out of the sun for clients and more. That beautiful mural on the building was an all volunteer project too.

Helping feed the hungry in the Wimberley ISD area, no matter what. Best of all, it is an all-volunteer non-profit organization, 401 (3) c.

Ozona Bank is a big patron of the CBB, by matching funds of donors to help with providing turkeys and all the fixin’s to families in the area that might not otherwise have one. Standing on the Ranch Road 12 sidewalks, volunteers dress like turkeys and now in Wimberley, are the first sign of the coming Holiday season.

“We’re so thankful that Ozona Bank is partnering with us again this year on the Annual Ozona Bank / Crisis Bread Basket Fundraiser,” CBB President John Myers said, “Their employees were out on the street collecting money for us and assisting us in distributing the complete Turkey Diners to our clients. Our clients are blessed to have Ozona Bank and all the rest of the Wimberley Community that continues to donate generously to our food pantry.”

Volunteers make up the CBB, from large ones like Ozona to individuals making it work. Distributing the turkey dinners were Ozona volunteers, CBB volunteers and the local 4-H group was represented by Hondo, Olden and Hudson Young.

One thing that really makes it local is the fact that there are no government funds that the CBB receives, it is all from local donations. The funds received by the CBB stay right here for the families that need some assistance in the valley.

CBB has four points that it lives up to:

1. Provide food on a shortterm basis for families who reside in Wimberley ISD area and can provide an address and a telephone number, if available.

2. To collect, receive, and store food donated from any person, firm, corporation or charitable institution.

3. To accept monetary donations from any person, firm, corporation or charitable institution for the purchase of food or to defray operating expenses of the Crisis Bread Basket.

4. To encourage and provide support for families with long term needs to transition to other agencies.

No one is ever turned away if they are hungry. The Crisis Bread Basket is a local Wimberley tradition that should be remembered at this time of year. To volunteer, donate, or for more information on this very local and worthy group see their website at crisisbreadbasket.com or see their page on Facebook.