[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11149]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 A TRIBUTE TO THE SAN ANTONIO FOOD BANK

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                        HON. CHARLES A. GONZALEZ

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 2, 2007

  Mr. GONZALEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the May 
7, 2007 opening of the San Antonio Food Bank's new facility. The Food 
Bank is vital to those in the greater San Antonio area who need help 
providing food for themselves and their families. I would like to 
extend my sincerest congratulations to this charitable organization on 
the opening of its new and improved facility.
  The Food Bank's new space will allow them to expand the critical 
services they provide to San Antonio and its neighboring communities. 
The Food Bank's food storage capacity will increase five fold--from two 
million pounds of food to storage space for ten million pounds. The 
facility will house a community center, enabling the center to enlarge 
its community outreach and improve access to its services. Its large 
cold storage capacity will allow the Food Bank to further diversify its 
food selection, maximizing the nutritional value of the products it 
provides. Additionally, a state-of-the-art kitchen, capable of 
preparing 50,000 meals is located in the new facility, greatly 
enhancing the organization's ability to offer Texans emergency food 
assistance during natural disasters or other emergencies.
  This crucial organization began serving southwest Texas in 1980, and 
its operations continue to grow to meet the needs of Texans facing 
food-shortage emergencies. As one of the largest operations of its kind 
in the United States, the Food Bank works with its 380 partner 
organizations, which include senior citizen centers, church pantry 
programs, soup kitchens, emergency food shelters, orphanages, after 
school programs, day care centers and rehabilitation facilities spread 
across 16 southwest Texas counties, to make over 21 million meals 
available annually. The Food bank also delivers 40 pound boxes of food 
to over 40,000 Texas families each month.
  The Food Bank is consistently recognized for its good work, including 
its effective use of funds. In fact, for two years in a row, the Food 
Bank has received a four-star rating for financial management from 
Charity Navigator, the country's largest independent evaluator of 
charities. I am very proud of the important work that the Food Bank 
conducts, as well as the effective manner in which such work is done.
  The message of caring this organization sends through its gift of 
food to those in need must be heard and acted upon by us all. The San 
Antonio Food Bank, and organizations like it, provide success stories 
that inspire us to action. While its new expanded facility is evidence 
of a growing need for emergency food services, it also demonstrates a 
will on the part of our community to address these needs.
  On the occasion of the opening of the San Antonio Food Bank's new 
facility, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the organization's 
hard working staff on their service to the community and to 
congratulate them on their continuing efforts to ensure that all Texans 
are fed.

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