Meet the Newest Member of our Team – Reyna!

By on May 25, 2022   /   All   /   Leave a comment

Meet the Newest Member of Our Team! 

We have a new member on team Target Hunger – Reyna Zapata! She has joined as our new Client Services Program Manager. Reyna will be leading our growing client services team as they assist clients in our pantries, at food fairs, and in our other programs. The individuals on this wonderful team are the faces and voices that greet our clients every day. They listen to stories, assist in registrations, and make sure that anyone who receives services from Target Hunger leaves with relief and nourishment. We are so excited to have Reyna on staff!  

We asked Reyna to answer a few questions so that you can get to know her a little better!  

8 Questions with Reyna 

Q: Where do you most want to visit in the world?
A: Hawaii 

Q: What is your proudest accomplishment?
A: Becoming a first-time homeowner 

Q: What is one thing you could not go a day without? 
A: Family 

Q: What’s your favorite way to spend a day off?
A: Shopping  

Q: If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have?
A: To be invisible.  

Q: If you could share a meal with any 4 individuals, living or dead, who would they be?
A: My grandpa, grandma, mom, and dad  

Q: Who would you want to play you in a movie of your life? 
A: My daughter  

Q: What’s your favorite family recipe?
A: My mom’s mole poblano  

Q: What is your favorite ice cream topping? 
A: Caramel syrup 

Q: What is on your bucket list? 
A: To build and design my own home.  

Q: What are 3 words that best describe you?
A: Crazy, accountable, ambitious

  

Welcome to Reyna! Target Hunger is excited to have her on the team, and we can’t wait to see how she guides our client services team to be even more impactful in our community! 

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Looking Forward to 2022 with the Target Hunger Staff

By on January 12, 2022   /   All   /   Leave a comment

Staff enjoying time together at the holiday party!

Looking Forward to 2022 with the Target Hunger Staff

For some, the beginning of the New Year brings with it a freshness and an opportunity to reset. Though the start of the year is feeling very familiar to the last with COVID cases on the rise again and healthcare workers struggling to provide care, we are looking forward with hope for something different. As we begin the year, we asked Target Hunger staff to share some of their New Year’s resolutions, and they have some great ones:

To start reading more books, at least one book a month! Become more active and go outside more often. Practice more gratitude and meditation. Cook more often again and try new recipes! Focus on things that I love/enjoy doing. Gain more knowledge and grow as a social work professional.

– Yadira Villalta, Outreach Worker

To be outside more and take one hike or ‘super walk’ (over 5 miles) a week. I’m also looking forward to spending more time with family and friends who live outside of Houston.

– Carrie Grzelak, Director of Development

Live a healthier lifestyle, and possibly travel more. Serve and do ministry in church – I’m a strong believer in putting God first, and everything else falling into place! I declare success for Target Hunger in 2022, and I look forward to seeing our Navigation program expand!

– Mildred Reyes, Mobile Services Coordinator

Your Development Team! L to R: Hannah Urie, Sean Nickelberry, Carrie Grzelak

I want to start a morning routine that sets me up for a great day that includes meditation/journaling, yoga, and time outside. I would like to keep my 4.0 GPA in school. Also, I read 32 books in 2021, I want to top that by reading 40 this year! I would also like to start fostering animals, I love volunteering with rescue groups.

– Hannah Urie, Development and Communications Coordinator 

This year I resolve to prioritize self-care, invest in myself by reading and writing more, try to eat healthier, become physically active, and learn how to enjoy and find joy in each day. 😊

– Sean Nickelberry, Volunteer Manager

My New Year’s resolution is to live a life of Wellness and Healing. We have no control over what happens in our lives but we have control over how we deal with it. So I decided this year that I would live a life of Wellness by changing what I put in my body by making healthier food choices and picking up jogging again. Healing for me is to continue my faith journey – asking that higher power for healing and guidance. Or seek counseling, whatever works best for you.

-Rosie Martinez, Program Director

We hope that reading these will provide a sense of hope and inspiration for what this next year could bring. We would also love to hear your own resolutions, so please share them in the comments below! As a team, our goal is to serve the community with compassion. As we work towards our own resolutions for prioritizing health/wellness, we will also work towards bringing that focus to the neighbors we serve. A healthy life is a human right, and food is a major part of that. Here’s to a year of wellness for everyone.

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A Teenager Provides for His Family

By on December 20, 2021   /   All   /   Leave a comment

A Teenager Provides for His Family

2021 has been another year of uncertainty as we try to return to a sense of normalcy. As we head into 2022, we are seeing rising grocery and gas prices—both of which are financial challenges for the families we serve.

Your generous support has allowed us to serve families and seniors in our community who need food assistance, like Francisco’s family.

Francisco is a 17 year-old student at Austin High School. He lives with his parents, Maria and Felix, and three younger brothers, two of whom are in school and one who has a chronic illness (not pictured). His father recently became unable to work and his disability payments are used for rent and utilities. Francisco’s family is struggling to make ends meet this holiday season.

Francisco has dreams of going to college next year to become an engineer. He is hopeful to receive a scholarship and in the meantime is taking classes to learn welding. To help his family, Francisco works as a cashier at Burger King. After leaving school for the day, he has an hour to get to work before his evening shift starts at 5pm.

His mother, Maria, says that Francisco is sometimes sad because he wants to do more to care for his family. Francisco is worried about his family’s wellbeing. Your support has relieved some of his stress as he dreams about going to college to become an engineer.

We wish you and your loved ones a safe holiday season and best wishes in the new year!

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