As part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, San Antonians might notice little packages being given to people experiencing homelessness in the coming days.
These plastic bags, known locally as “Billy Bundles,” are packed with essential items, including a toothbrush, toothpaste, a comb, hand sanitizer, snacks and other things that many may take for granted.
The bundles were named for Billy Mahone III, a tireless advocate for the unhoused who served as senior director of strategic planning and partnerships for the nonprofit Close to Home, which coordinates the city’s homelessness response system. Mahone, 39, died suddenly last year.
“Often while in the car with Billy, he would roll down his window and hand a bag filled with snacks, water and some resources to a neighbor on the side of the road, and he would ask how they were doing,” Dacey “DW” Werba, director of strategic alignment and equity for Close to Home, said at a Monday press conference.
“He would look them in the eye, because he knew people are people first, and that’s the heart of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week,” Werba said. “Every one of us could use some of Billy’s compassion … in one moment or another. These are our brothers and our sisters who need our help, and together, we can learn from this, and we can be all in on preventing and ending homelessness.”
Inside the bag, is a small card — which is available to print online — acknowledging Mahone’s compassion and commitment.
On Thursday, Close to Home will host an event at The Good Kind, 1127 S. St. Mary’s St., from 6-8 p.m. where anyone can come to build their own “Billy Bundles” for free. Supplies will be provided, but people are encouraged to customize their bundles as they like.
“I also usually buy HotHands [warmers] and put them in mine in the wintertime,” Werba said. “That was actually something Billy taught me to do.”
The annual awareness week kicked off Sunday with SAMMinistries’ signature Empty Bowls fundraiser and events continue through Saturday with the Rivers of Hope Ministry’s fifth annual Thanksgiving Giveaway at Grace Fellowship Baptist Church, 7804 Eckhert Rd.
“This week reminds us that many of our neighbors are often forced to choose between basic necessities, such as buying food or paying rent,” Mayor Ron Nirenberg said. “Many households across the nation are just one paycheck away from financial disaster and homelessness, and too often, hunger is a reality for people who have a place to sleep.”
In 2022, 46% of households in Bexar County — that’s more than 230,000 individuals and families — couldn’t afford essentials such as housing, child care, food, transportation, health care and a basic smartphone plan, according to wage advocacy organization United for ALICE.
The San Antonio Food Bank provides more than 74 million meals every year, about 105,000 every week, in 29 counties across southwest Texas.
It’s a privilege to wake up in the morning and ask ourselves “what am I going to eat today?” said Michael Guerra, the Food Bank’s chief sustainability officer, while so many people ask themselves: Will I eat today?
The Alliance to House Everyone, a coalition of local government, private and nonprofit partners, will implement a 2025 action plan as part of the final year of the city’s 2020 “Together to End Homelessness” plan.
“To develop this plan, we gathered feedback from our Alliance partners as well as people who have experienced homelessness,” Close to Home Executive Director Katie Wilson said.
The plan includes eight strategic priorities: prevent homelessness, expand housing options expansion, strengthen services for youth and young adults, improve coordination with domestic violence resources, improve access to health care, strengthen street outreach, address equity, and strengthen system and partner capacities.
The 2024 point-in-time-count showed a 7% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness in Bexar County on a single night in January. Last year, 322 people experiencing homelessness died in shelters, on the streets or in jail — roughly double the number of deaths recorded in 2022.
Next year, the Alliance will work on the next five-year strategic plan that covers 2026-2030.
Werba hopes the events this week draw more volunteers and civic engagement among the community because housing and hunger are year-round challenges for the community.
“Whether that’s volunteering at Haven for Hope or SAMMinistries, or just educating yourself on our strategic plans that we have going on,” she said. “Not everybody can volunteer … [but you] might be able to plug in in a different way. You might be able to come to some community meetings and give your input. You might be able to go to city council and support a permanent supportive housing project as well.”
Increasing housing options for the community is critical to the prevention and mitigation of homelessness, said Nikisha Baker, president and CEO of SAMMinistries, which provides housing, shelter and other services.
“We know that housing is the foundation of stability and well being,” Baker said “We also know that housing is health care, housing is education, housing is recovery, housing is public safety, housing is infrastructure, housing is justice and housing is a human right, especially when it comes to children.”
