Better Choices Pantry

Brazosport Cares addresses food insecurity in our community by offering a supplemental feeding program to the hungry that provides nutrition in a dignified and compassionate manner at no cost.  Through our Client Choice Model, individuals, families, and seniors can access nutritious groceries in a supermarket type atmosphere to meet their needs, preferences, and health. 

See our hours of operation HERE.

School Markets

Brazosport Cares operates free School Markets at Intermediate and High School campuses for students and their households to access during and after school. Students are able to fill a shopping bag with shelf-stable food and hygiene products for themselves and their families according to their needs.

Currently, Cougar Mart is hosted at Clute Intermediate School on Thursdays throughout the school year. We anticipate opening two additional markets in the coming year.

Powerpacks

Inadequate nutrition for children has many adverse effects.  It puts the cognitive and behavioral development of children in jeopardy, increases their risk for illness, and weakens their immune system and ability to learn and grow.  Federal feeding programs, for example, the National School Lunch Program, provide nutrition during the school year; however, many children find themselves without adequate food on weekends, holidays, and summer break.

To alleviate childhood hunger in our community, Powerpacks partners with Brazosport Independent School District to provide weekend backpacks filled with healthy foods to homeless and chronically hungry students who would otherwise go home to little or no meals on weekends and holidays.  

Food for Change

Food for Change is an innovative strategy that goes beyond emergency food assistance to address the root causes of hunger.  Using food as a catalyst and in partnership with social service programs, Food for Change helps individuals achieve their life goals and move towards self-sufficiency. 

Brazosport Cares awards food scholarships to individuals when they commit to programs that can improve their lives.  By lowering the financial stress of household grocery costs, individuals are in a better position to get the training, education, or knowledge they need to achieve self-sufficiency.  Food scholarships are awarded to individuals participating in Brazosport College’s Jumpstart Program and employment programs with Workforce Solutions. 

Brazosport Cares works with local healthcare partners to provide healthy food prescriptions to patients to better manage and improve their health and lives. Patients focused on changing their habits and bettering their health receive healthy food prescriptions redeemable at Brazosport Cares. Ultimately, access to affordable and nutritious foods helps individuals manage their health, lower the financial stress of household grocery costs, and decrease food insecurity.

Healthy Options Program for the Elderly- H.O.P.E.

According to Feeding America, more than 5 million seniors age 60 and older face food insecurity. Without action, this number could reach over 7 million by 2050. Seniors face several unique challenges that make them particularly vulnerable to hunger.  These include living on a fixed income while costs of living and healthcare continue to rise and mobility and medical issues.  Seniors can struggle to find transportation to access food.  Without enough money to get by, they are forced to make tough decisions between buying food and medicine.  

The Healthy Options Program for the Elderly (HOPE) provides monthly supplemental food tailored to improve the health and nutrition of low-income homebound seniors. Groceries delivered by volunteers include dairy, grains, protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, canned goods, and personal care items.

Client Assistance and Education Classes

Hunger rarely lives in a vacuum. When someone is wrestling with hunger, that person has other life challenges related to health care, education, employment, housing, or any number of potentially daunting issues. In addition to supplemental feeding programs, the Pantry provides referrals to other social service agencies to help address the physical, emotional, and social needs of residents.

Brazosport Cares also conducts educational opportunities aimed at long term change in people's lives. Classes cover topics on nutrition, cooking, health and wellness, employment, and financial stability.