REDWOOD COMMUNITY CENTER
“A lot of families are having to decide between feeding their pets or actually being able to feed themselves,” said Irma Palacios, who serves as pro bono director and volunteer-every- thing at Centro Esperanza’s Redwood Community Center.
That difficult choice is something Palacios and the nonprofit see regularly among families they serve in the rural Redwood community and surrounding areas.
Now the center is working to make sure families don’t have to face that decision alone.
Centro Esperanza will host another Low Cost Vaccines and Preventatives Clinic and Pet Food Pantry on Saturday, March 14 from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at Centro Esperanza, 2045 Spruce St. in San Marcos.
The event is being held in partnership with Mini Vet Express Veterinary Clinic and the Hays County Health Department’s Animal Welfare Services Division.
In addition to low-cost veterinary services, the event will also provide free dog and cat food while supplies last.
Centro Esperanza serves residents in Redwood and Rancho Vista as well as families in San Marcos by offering assistance with federal benefits, food programs and other essential services. One of the center’s most visible programs is its regular food distributions.
“We hold food distributions every first Saturday of the month, and we hold variable other distributions throughout the weeks,” Palacios said. “It just depends on the availability of food from the San Antonio Food Bank.”
The upcoming clinic expands the center’s services to help families care for their pets as well.
Available services at the event will include vaccines, heartworm prevention, flea and tick prevention and microchipping. Beyond the food, providing vaccinations also helps protect the broader community.
“We want to make sure also that we safeguard the humans as well, those that are taking care of the pets, with the vaccines,” she said. “We know that rabies, particularly, is quite rampant, so we want to make sure that we are part of the solution.”
While the center continues to expand services for the community, it is also facing a significant financial challenge.
Centro Esperanza recently lost a longtime funding partner after the Guadalupe County United Way became embroiled in a criminal investigation.
Former United Way executive director Mary Lou Hargrave was arrested in December and charged with theft of property valued between $150,000 and $300,000 on allegations that she stole from the nonprofit.
Palacios said the loss of that funding has forced the center to rely even more on volunteers to keep operations running.
“So right now we’re just basically trying to keep it running as we can,” Palacios said.
Despite the setback, the organization continues to provide food assistance, benefits support and community programs. Donations will be key to keeping the center’s programs running.
Residents interested in learning more about Centro Esperanza or making a donation can visit www.centroesperanzasmtx. com.
