Grant Story: Lubbock Impact

What is Lubbock Impact?

Lubbock Impact was established in spring of 2007, with its first soup kitchen opening in fall of the same year. The goal of Lubbock Impact is to lift individuals or families out of poverty or better their economic situation in one way or another. Lubbock Impact serves a community that falls mostly into generational poverty. The soup kitchen at Lubbock Impact acts as the gateway to other services that Lubbock Impact offers the community. All the services offered at Lubbock Impact are created to help the working poor and poverty stricken of our community.

Lubbock Impact is aware that tackling the issue of poverty requires a multi-faceted strategy. They currently provide fifteen different services. At Lubbock Impact, they break down poverty into two categories: generational poverty and situational poverty. Those who are caught in situational poverty can receive assistance from Lubbock Impact and often ease their financial burdens after a few months to a year of Lubbock Impact’s support.

Generational poverty, however, is quite different, as it is a tradition and mindset that must be shifted through one-on-one interaction. When community members enter the dining hall at Lubbock Impact, volunteers assess overall appearance. An example of something to consider includes shoes; do they have shoes? What is the condition of their shoes? The volunteers at Lubbock Impact also look into their eyes for signs of hunger or desperation.

Their clients receive a warm welcome and a dining hall filled with round tables draped in linens and decorated with a centerpiece. Food is served family style, allowing the clients to relax and enjoy a meal while volunteers are looking for ways that the other fourteen services at Lubbock Impact can help the client or their family.

For Lubbock Impact, bettering the economic situation of a family can be as simple as helping set a goal of having the electricity bill paid on time, or arriving to work in a timely manner consecutively for six months. Lubbock Impact is working to break the bonds of generational poverty so that the children of families in need can succeed.

In 2018, Lubbock Impact received a grant from the Community Foundation of West Texas that assists Lubbock Impact in costs for their soup kitchen, which acts as a warm welcome for their clients to learn more about what Lubbock Impact can do for them.

Keep reading below for a personal account of how Lubbock Impact helped a family in need.

Lubbock Impact in Action

Lydia and her family were sitting in the optometrist’s clinic. Her daughters and her husband were getting their eyes checked when she wondered about the cost.

“How much are these glasses going to cost?” Lydia asked in a small voice. The young wife of the optometrist smiled at her.

“Nothing! They are free. Everything at Lubbock Impact is free.”

A grin spread across Lydia’s face and she began to speak to the woman.

“I am going to tell you a story,” she began. “One day, when I was a little girl, my mom told my siblings and I, ‘Let’s go to Furr’s!’ We were so excited! A few minutes later, we drove up to an old church. My mom had lied; we were going to a soup kitchen. We were all mad and embarrassed.”

“Tonight, I did the same thing to my kids. It is the end of the month and we are having trouble making ends meet. I told my children we were going to Furr’s. When we pulled up to Lubbock Impact, I knew what my kids were thinking. I was sad, but we didn’t have a choice.”

“When we entered the dining hall, we couldn’t believe how nice it was - and my kids loved the food… especially the ‘smores cake! We went to the clothes closet, tennis shoe room, and worship service! Now, we are getting glasses. Thank you!”

During the meal at Lubbock Impact, Lydia’s family was made aware of the other programs offered through Lubbock Impact. Lydia told Lubbock Impact that she had been incarcerated for two and a half years and had been out a little over a year. Things were tough but had been improving. She was excited to start a new job the next day.

The following week Rick and the girls picked up their glasses after their meal. A week prior, Rick had been quiet as he entered the clinic, but after picking up the glasses, stood strong as he shook the hands of the doctors and helpers.

Lydia and Rick came to Lubbock Impact for a free meal with their family, but had truly been impacted by what they gained from that one evening.

To learn more about Lubbock Impact, please visit them online at www.lubbockimpact.com.