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AUSTIN — Three organizations serving Bastrop County are among dozens across Central Texas slated to receive grants from St. David’s Foundation to help residents facing financial hardship.
The Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry, Texas Legal Services Center and Smithville Workforce Training Center are part of the foundation’s $40 million investment, which includes 40 grants supporting access to income assistance, food programs and healthcare.
The funding is expected to help more than 60,000 people across Central Texas, officials said.
“Too often, the systems designed to support people during times of financial hardship are the very systems that can be hardest to navigate,” St. David’s Foundation President and CEO Edward Burger said in a press release. “These grants invest in trusted community organizations that are breaking down barriers, connecting people to critical resources and helping ensure our safety net works with greater dignity, accessibility and impact for all.”
The foundation said its funding focuses on organizations that already work closely with communities where residents may struggle to navigate or to receive public benefits. The grants are designed to help those organizations make the process smoother for people and families seeking assistance.
Foundation officials said public benefits are a “powerful multiplier,” and closing the enrollment gap helps eligible neighbors achieve economic stability.
Bastrop County will also benefit from a separate $700,000 investment supporting immediate basic needs in rural areas, according to the foundation.
The monies will support organizations in Bastrop, Caldwell and Williamson counties providing food and emergency financial support.
Bastrop County Women’s Shelter and Chosen Women Empower were named as the local recipients of the additional financial resources.
