Canyon Lake’s preeminent charity, the Community Resource and Recreation Center of Canyon Lake (CRRC of Canyon Lake), is the recipient of a $65,000 grant from the New Braunfels-based McKenna Foundation.
McKenna announced the news on Tuesday in a press release about the board’s approval of $575,000 in grant funding in the first session of the year, with $130,000 of that allocated for rural community support.
CRRC saw a 48% increase in visitation and distributed over $700,000 worth of food supplies in 2023 alone.
“The funding is expected to provide rural community support and address the pressing challenges faced by local residents,” McKenna said in its statement.
Also approved was a $10,000 grant for a Bulverde-based food pantry, Provisions Outreach.
The charity feeds up to 80 clients a day. McKenna’s grant will be used to purchase essential food and supplies and to distribute 32,000 pounds of food each month.
The board also awarded a $40,000 grant to Helping Hands Food Pantry in Spring Branch. The charity assists over 4,000 family members in northwest Comal County annually and anticipates providing an average of 10,000 pounds of food to clients each month.
Half of the grant is allocated for pantry operations while the remaining $20,00 will finance a box truck crucial to weekly food collections.
Spring Branch’s Hope Center received a $15,000 grant for its Feed My Sheep initiative. During the first three months of 2024, the center saw a 93% increase in service demand compared to 2023.
Hope Center sees an average of 9,000 clients each year and plans to distribute over 100,000 pounds of food in 2024.
“The awarded $15,000 grant will be used to enhance the variety and nutritional value of food provided and will support spiritual nourishment in collaboration with local faith communities,” McKenna said.
These foundation “partners” are dedicated to providing beneficial services to Comal County’s rural population.
The grants fall under the McKenna Foundation’s Basic Needs Portfolio, which funds nonprofit organizations that provide accessible food assistance, housing, financial assistance, workforce and employability, and transportation services.
