New Braunfels Food Bank’s Apple Seeds Apartments will need longer to bear fruit | Community Alert
[ad_1]
The San Antonio Food Bank has awaited the long-awaited construction of its apartment complex to house needy families in New Braunfels, but may have to wait a little longer.
A 51-unit complex adjacent to Tafel’s New Braunfels branch, Apple Seeds Apartments offers food, housing, financial and independent life counseling, and labor relations.
Construction has not started yet as the food bank awaits approvals from the Texas Department of Transportation and the city, said Eric Cooper, CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank.
TxDOT allows the panel a second access to the apartments that are located on the property of the panel. The board shares the main entrance with the apartments on South Seguin Avenue.
New Braunfels Food Bank Volunteer Bridget McPhillips grabs a gallon of milk to build a food basket for roadside collection Thursday, August 26th at the New Braunfels Food Bank.
“We changed the plan we originally came up with so this kind of started and ended,” said Cooper. “Somehow it had to go through all the checks and balances the city has. At our meeting this week it was said that by the end of the month we should really know some of the variables that make this possible. “
The Tafel held a groundbreaking ceremony in June and hopes to be able to break the actual ground soon.
She planned to build the apartments over 12 months and hoped to be able to move families into them by next summer before her children’s school starts.
“(It) is not realistically going to be able to keep to that schedule,” said Cooper.
New Braunfels Housing Partners bought the land for the New Braunfels Food Bank headquarters with the intention of building a residential complex next to it and donated it to the Food Bank to help the community in new ways.
A representation of Apple Seeds Apartments is in the lobby of the New Braunfels Food Bank.
Austin National Guard member Gabriel Torres operates a forklift in the New Braunfels Food Bank warehouse in New Braunfels on Thursday, August 26, 2021.
The Woolsey Construction Company will build the apartments.
In addition to the city and TxDOT, the New Braunfels Utilities also have to go through the plans.
“I think all three are very supportive of the project and want to help,” said Cooper. “I think we hope we can finish it this week or the first part of next week and, knowing the timeframe, go into September and unlock the contractor to get the big equipment to prepare the site for development . “
Aside from the permits, the food bank has about $ 1 million left to raise funds to help meet its construction goal of about $ 9 million.
To help, people can volunteer for projects like landscaping. You can also go to the Tafel’s website and donate.
“If you’re not in the industry or want to do some welding work, you can fund that void,” said Cooper.
Community partners are the McKenna Foundation and the Kronkosky Foundation from San Antonio.
He said billionaire philanthropist McKinsey Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has also donated millions to food banks across the country, including in San Antonio.
Cooper said housing costs are skyrocketing as New Braunfels is growing rapidly and the region needs this type of system for families in need during a pandemic that is affecting the economy.
“Housing costs in Comal County and New Braunfels have just exceeded wages, and people just can’t afford to live and work in New Braunfels,” said Cooper. “We know it’s a small complex that will only help fifty families, but there are 50 families who know they have a roof over their heads as opposed to those with such insecurity. And there is definitely a lot of uncertainty during the pandemic. “
To learn more about the Appleseed Apartments project, go to https://safoodbank.org/safoodbankappleseedsapartments/apple-seeds-apartments-web/
To donate go to https://safoodbank.org/donate/
[ad_2]
