Ascension Texas donates 4,000+ pounds of food on Day of Ascension

Food insecurity is a significant problem in Travis County as well as the surrounding counties of Central Texas. And as a safety net hospital system, Ascension Texas often serves patients that are food insecure. “Not having the right nutrition can be an underlying issue that impacts health,” said Derek Covert, VP of Mission Integration. “Providing for this need has always been important in our ministry.”

As Ascension Texas celebrates its 120-year anniversary, all 14 hospitals as well as Ascension Medical Group clinics participated in the annual food drive, resulting in more than 4,000 pounds of donations to food banks in our service areas, some 1,200 pounds more than last year! This translates to roughly 4,800 meals for Central Texans.

Ascension Texas’ tradition of giving back to the community – particularly providing food for the poor and vulnerable – goes way back. Sister Philomena Feltz, DC (1910-1999), came to Austin in 1932 to supervise the kitchen at the Seton Infirmary when she became aware of hunger within the community during the Great Depression. Sister Philomena saw Austin’s poor and knew immediately what God was asking her to do. So began her famous “soup line,” giving out soup from the back door of the hospital. Fun fact: Matt Martinez, the founder of the iconic Matt’s El Rancho restaurant on S. Lamar in Austin, worked in Sister Philomena’s kitchen.

Inspired by the Gospel reading of the loaves and fishes, and with the assistance of other Daughters of Charity and Ladies of Charity, Sister Philomena's soup line expanded to delivering groceries and clothing to needy families.

The annual food drive at Ascension Texas is now an extension of our Mission and Ministry Council. Food collected at our many different sites stays “local” – Austin donations go to the Central Texas Food Bank and Waco donations go to Caritas, for instance, and all donations stay within the counties where they were received. “By keeping it local, we are essentially bringing in food for our neighbors,” said Covert.