Centro Esperanza seeks help following fire

Centro Esperanza is seeking assistance after a fire destroyed its storage shed. 

A fire broke out at Centro’s shed, located at 2045 Spruce St., on Sunday at approximately 1:30 p.m. Irma Palacios, Centro Esperanza executive board and secretary, said the shed is the center’s lifeline to its many programs it hosts. 

“That’s where we hold the items for our clothing distribution, our event items that we have for youth activities, senior activities,” Palacios said. “Also, a lot of baby and toddler basic needs — diapers, bottles. Unfortunately, with the fire having consumed quite a bit of the building and the content, that’s actually going to put a stop to those programs until we can rebuild. Of course, storage is a dire need in order for us to hold those items.”

Centro Esperanza sits in the Redwood neighborhood and is an extra-territorial jurisdiction for San Marcos but is on the northeastern tip of Guadalupe County. The center offers back-to-school immunizations, basic adult computer, ESL and GED programs, food fairs, a mobile pantry, a baby pantry, a summer youth program, utility assistance, among its 14 programs. 

Centro Esperanza has nearly 40 partners, including Amazon, Guadalupe County United Way, Guadalupe Sheriff's Department, Texas State University, Gary Job Corps, Salvation Army, Community Action, Inc., McCoy’s Building Supply, San Antonio Food Bank and San Marcos Consolidated ISD. The center has three priorities: youth, elderly and health and wellness. Palacios said applications to the center are over 1,000 and 300 people are served during its food drives every month. 

A firefighter rushes toward Centro Esperanza's community shed, where it stores goods for community programs.

Palacios hopes to quickly demolish the damaged building but they are still waiting on an investigation by the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Department to be completed. 

“It’s very critical that we try to get the building that was damaged demolished and removed and start rebuilding again mostly because the community residents are in dire need of our assistance,” Palacios said, adding that financial assistance is most needed to help with building removal. 

A donation account has also been set up at Sage Capital Bank — 2201 Hunter Rd. Those wishing to donate can tell the bank that they’re donating to Redwood Community, Inc. Donations can also be sent by mail to Redwood Community Center Inc., RCCI, dba- Centro Esperanza, PO Box 557, San Marcos, Texas 78667. Online donations can be made at Centro Esperanza's website.  

Palacios said Centro Esperanza plans to come back even stronger following Sunday’s fire. 

“If anything this is going to be an even bigger driving force for us to show the community that we really are there for them,” she said. “We know that this will also draw the community a lot closer to us. I think it will be coupled with us demonstrating that we’re serious about getting back to work, getting back to business and being able to provide for them.”