Local Realtors Donate To Food Bank With Each House Sold

Gandhi very wisely said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” It’s not enough to just notice a problem, but you must commit to doing something about it.

Next month is hunger action month, and Hays County Food Bank encourages everyone in this community to pledge to take some form of action and fight hunger locally.

Volunteer your time, donate funds or food, or advocate on behalf of those in need. Whatever your contribution is, it matters.

Allison Pflaum with Hays Home Team at Keller Williams has been a part of the food bank’s hunger action team for four years. While working in education, Allison witnessed many hungry students.

She noticed the shame and social stigma students felt when receiving a handout in front of their friends. Some students would even refuse the free service.

While she may not have been able to feed all of those kids, she knew she could help them out in an indirect way through the local food bank.

When she became a Realtor, she pledged a part of her commission to purchasing peanut butter in bulk to donate.

She affectionately became known as the “Peanut Butter Lady,” and when an agency that worked with the food bank requested a bulk amount of peanut butter, they immediately reached out to Allison for her help.

What started as a team of one, has now grown to seven. Each home bought or sold through their team yields a $100 gift, with a goal to donate each quarter.

This past quarter, the team raised $4,000 to help feed the food insecure in Hays County.

While Allison may no longer donate hundreds of pounds of peanut butter, she and her team are truly helping to make a difference.

The purchasing power of the food bank is superior to those of individuals and $5 means that 20 meals can be provided to families in need.

Keller Williams is known for its commitment to combating hunger. Allison and the rest of the Hays Home Team will be out in force this fall, collecting food in Hays County neighborhoods.

If you live in the Cypress Creek or Plum Creek communities, keep a look out for them as they drop off donation bags. They will collect all food items on October 14th, with a goal to reach 1,000 homes this year. Imagine the impact if each home donated just 5 items!

If you would like to take action and host your own food or fund drive benefiting Hays County Food Bank, please visit https://www.haysfoodbank.org/ to register your event. You can also contact Sarah Schultz at (512) 392-8300 x230 or at SSchultz@HaysFoodBank.org.

In 2016, Hays County Food Bank and its 20 partner agencies distributed 679,456 pounds of food to an average of 8,500 food insecure residents each month. These residents were senior citizens, children, and many others facing economic challenges.  “Food insecurity” refers to the availability of food and one’s access to it.  Hays County Food Bank is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the public to perform its mission.  For more information, please visit haysfoodbank.org or visit us on Facebook or Twitter at @HaysFoodBank.