Round Rock gives $104K in grants to help 4 nonprofits provide food, housing, health care

Fernanda Figueroa, Austin American-Statesman
Updated ·3 min read

The city of Round Rock has given $104,000 in grants this year to help fund four nonprofits to better serve low- and moderate-income residents in need by providing food, housing and health care.

The city provided funding to the Round Rock Serving Center, CASA of Williamson County, Meals on Wheels and the Sacred Heart Community Clinic. The city funding for 2023-24 came through its participation in the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant program.

The Round Rock Area Serving Center's food pantry and housing program each received $25,000 in grant funds from the city last year. The pantry funding helped more than 870 low-income residents, of which 373 were Hispanic/Latino. This fiscal year, the group will receive a total of $30,000 for the food pantry and $29,388 for its housing assistance program from the grant.

Hutto resident Cathy Dahms and her son Michael shop for food at the Round Rock Area Serving Center in December. Cathy Dahms said the center's pantry eases the financial burden on her family.
Hutto resident Cathy Dahms and her son Michael shop for food at the Round Rock Area Serving Center in December. Cathy Dahms said the center's pantry eases the financial burden on her family.

Lori Scott, executive director of the nonprofit, said grants make up 50% of its revenue. She said that because the pantry does not buy food at retail prices, it can fill up a grocery cart for $8 compared with the $250 it would cost a person at a grocery store.

"It's so important for us to be able to get a grant," Scott said, "and then we can spend it so vastly."

With 10 people and five cats in her home, 61-year-old Cathy Dahms said there is never enough food at their Hutto home, but the Serving Center food pantry helps ease that burden. She said she and her grandkids look forward to their monthly trip.

Without access to the pantry, she said she would be spending up to $800 every two weeks.

Volunteer Niles Gilliam helps a visitor at the Round Rock Area Serving Center. The nonprofit is receiving a $30,000 grant from the city of Round Rock for its food pantry.
Volunteer Niles Gilliam helps a visitor at the Round Rock Area Serving Center. The nonprofit is receiving a $30,000 grant from the city of Round Rock for its food pantry.

"We do our best to make meals economical as possible," Dahms said. "But (the food pantry) does help."

Meals on Wheels, which is run by Opportunities for Williamson & Burnet Counties, received $11,114 last year from Round Rock and assisted 160 older adults. For this year, the nonprofit will receive $15,000, according to city documents.

Sacred Heart Community Clinic in Round Rock received $13,228 last year in grant funding from the city that assisted 173 low-income residents with health care services. Executive Director Liz Burton-Garcia said the clinic is expected to receive $10,000 from the city this year.

Burton-Garcia said the funds help to pay the salary of the doctors who provide medical, dental and pharmaceutical care.

Lori Scott, executive director at the Round Rock Area Serving Center, said its food pantry can fill up a grocery cart for $8 compared with the $250 it would cost a person at a grocery store.
Lori Scott, executive director at the Round Rock Area Serving Center, said its food pantry can fill up a grocery cart for $8 compared with the $250 it would cost a person at a grocery store.

"I just want to say that the city of Round Rock has been a huge blessing to us," Burton-Garcia said. "We just greatly appreciate what they do for us. When they first started donating to us on a yearly basis it gave us some justification that they really care about the patients here in their city that don't have access to the health care."

CASA Williamson County, a child advocacy program, received $20,000 this year to help serve children who have been removed from their home because of abuse or neglect.

Marissa Austin, its chief executive officer, said this year's funding will be able to help 95 kids. Austin said the money from the city is used to fund services such as providing an advocate for a child, including in court, which costs about $2,000.

"We rely on community to come behind us and stand beside us and support us," Austin said. "I do not believe it would be possible to do that without the support of the city of Round Rock."

Hutto resident Michael Dahms loads his car after picking up food at the Round Rock Area Serving Center last month.
Hutto resident Michael Dahms loads his car after picking up food at the Round Rock Area Serving Center last month.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Round Rock gives $104K in grants to help 4 nonprofits