Join Us in Rooting for the Future 

Dear Friends,

Target Hunger is excited to launch the Rooting for the Future Capital Campaign, an $8.5 million effort to create the Target Hunger Campus and Education Center. The project will acquire, improve, expand, and increase the resiliency of our current facility, a leased warehouse at 1260 Shotwell Street, to better provide direct food assistance, educational opportunities, job training, and Navigation Services to low-income residents residing in northeast and east Houston, which are some of the poorest communities in our city.

UPDATE 1:

We are pleased to share that the Rooting for the Future Campaign received monumental support from one of the region’s esteemed philanthropic foundations, the J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Mabee Foundation has awarded Target Hunger a $500,000 challenge grant! This is an incredible vote of confidence in our vision to expand capacity and capability for direct food assistance, onsite educational opportunities, and social service navigation to low-income residents residing in northeast and east Houston–some of the poorest communities in our city. 

Now, we need your help! The challenge issued by the Mabee Foundation states that Target Hunger must raise $817,208 by October 2024 to lock in the gift and receive payment. There is much work ahead, and more philanthropic support is needed to secure the $500,000 Challenge. We hope you will consider being a part of this effort. You will be in the good company of many families, foundations, and companies who have already generously given to our cause.

UPDATE 2:

On November 30, 2023, Target Hunger officially purchased the Campus located at 1260 Shotwell Street! With your help, we are confident we will meet the Mabee Challenge and secure enough commitments to break ground in the Spring. 

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Because of your support, we are building a transformational model for hunger relief with professional, caring staff; reliable, healthy food; and powerful life changing collaborations designed to break the cycles of generational poverty in Houston’s most disadvantaged communities.

Thank you for joining us to root for the future of our community and allow us to establish permanent roots in northeast/east Houston!

 

Steve Barrett, Capital Campaign Co-Chair

 

Charles Caldwell, Capital Campaign Co-Chair


Sandra Wicoff, CEO

Campaign Goals

Connect More People to Meals
The Campus will include enhanced warehouse and transportation logistics to expedite unloading, packaging, and loading, which will connect more people to more food.

  Increased capacity to serve up to 3,000 more individuals per month

  Creation of a safe, welcoming campus for our 1,500+ volunteers per year

Address Root Causes of Food Insecurity
We value navigation and educational programs that encourage stability for individuals and families. The new Education Center will include dedicated space for workshops and trainings.

Ability to serve 4,800 clients annually in the Education Center

Dedicated, collaborative space for Navigation Services to allow each Navigator to reach 600 people per year to connect families to important resources and services

Increased capacity to work with up to 20 job training employees and interns from SERJobs, AARP, UHD, and more

Create a Resilient Infrastructure
Accessible, safety-enhanced, and hardened facilities will allow us to serve at all times and especially during times of disaster.

Ready to respond to increased community need for emergency food services.

ADA compliant facility will ensure accessibility to all.

 

Investing in the Future

The Campaign will allow Target Hunger to acquire the 1970s campus and land, and then enhance, update, and expand the existing spaces to make them the most operationally efficient and effective for our mission. Target Hunger moved into this facility 3 years ago after Hurricane Harvey damaged its previous facility and home for nearly 20 years beyond repair.

Acquisition
1260 Shotwell, 1.3 acres of land, 2.5 miles east of downtown Houston

Improve & Expand
Main Warehouse: 11,927 sq. ft. facility housing food distribution and administrative offices
 NEW 1,880 sq. ft. Warehouse expansion for food storage
 NEW 2,400 sq. ft. Education Center with 30-seat classroom, a large flexible teaching space, and state of the art technology
Outdoor Urban Garden and NEW Pavilion for enhanced volunteer experience and community gatherings

Increase Resiliency & Hardening of the Facility
Upgraded roof, parking lot, fire alarm, and fencing that augment existing features like a power generator, water cistern, on-site freezer/refrigeration, and an 18-wheeler truck turn-around which will ensure continued operation during disasters

Campaign Budget

Campaign Leadership

Steve Barrett, Chair
Sharon Asinelli
Sheryl Barrett
Charles Caldwell
Stephan Fairfield
Alan Henson

Pam & George Laflin
Kelley Lang
Sam Louis
Paul Ngo
Demethra Orion
Ronnie Shields

Thank You for Rooting for the Future 

For questions regarding the Rooting for the Future Capital Campaign, please reach out to Carrie Grzelak, Director of Development at (832) 767-1677 ext. 107.