Austin, TX — As families across Texas face empty pantries and tighter budgets, one Austin woman hasn’t stopped giving, not even with a broken ankle. Every Friday, Jeannette and her volunteers turn an empty lot in one East Austin neighborhood into a full-scale food bank, feeding hundreds of families. Her dedication inspired Mary Jane to nominate her for our Cash for Kindness segment, and we showed up to surprise her with 500 dollars from Air and Plumbing Today to say thank you.
With her hands raised to the sky, Jeanette Valdez Duran begins each food distribution with a prayer over what she calls “blessings”, tables and trucks filled with meals, fresh produce, and flowers ready to give away.
Through her nonprofit, Mobile Blessings from the Heart, Jeanette helps feed up to 500 people every week in East Austin. What started in her parents’ driveway quickly outgrew the neighborhood as lines stretched down the street. Now, she’s moved to a larger lot nearby, grateful that growth means more families fed…