RELIEF

Local efforts continue to support earthquake victims and survivors in Turkey and Syria

When disasters strike, one organization is there to help provide for those in need.

Crews with the San Antonio Zoo geared up and headed out to lend a helping hand in Florida as part of its zoological disaster response, rescue, and recovery, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

In honor of National Ice Cream Day, Monday, July 18, the San Antonio Police offer free ice cream at Brackenridge Park.

Federal officials are extending pandemic relief to help major airlines keep their coveted takeoff and landing rights at big airports in New York and Washington this summer.

The nonprofit Ukrainian San Antonio was so successful in its first collection of baby formula and diapers for the people of Ukraine last week that it couldn’t fit everything in its first truck and is now planning on sending a second to continue helping during the Russian invasion.

A San Antonio business owner is encouraging the community to step up and help people dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, which is now a tropical depression.

It will force Democrats to make politically painful choices about what to do next on the federal minimum wage, which has long caused internal party rifts. The proposal would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 over five years, well over the $7.25 in effect since 2009. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have voiced opposition to including the minimum wage hike in the relief bill, and other moderates have expressed concerns, too. But they’d still face the challenge of garnering 60 Senate votes, a hurdle that has upended Democratic attempts to boost the minimum wage for over a decade. But those same Senate rules prohibit provisions with only an “incidental” impact on the federal budget because they are chiefly driven by other policy purposes.

SAN ANTONIO The Family Service Association and the House of Neighborly Service are two of the citys oldest social service agencies, helping those in need for over a century. Josephine Garza who picked up five days of food from the House of Neighborly Service, said despite losing her job, her landlord is willing to work with her. Garr said the Family Service Association assisting in developing the recovery plan in the works by the city of San Antonio and Bexar County. She said it will take a "comprehensive community effort" to help hard-hit families recover, but not just for the immediate future. She said it will take job training, learning new skills, and tackling issues like food and housing insecurities.

Protests have erupted all over the country in response to George Floyds death and police brutality, and many bars and restaurants and Texas have been vandalized in the wake of protesting. The Texas Restaurant Relief Fund was created to help restaurants and bars stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Texas Restaurant Association announced that funds will also be going to independent businesses who have suffered due to the protests and riots. The relief fund was created in late March, and since then, the fund has raised and distributed $2.23 million in grants of up to $5,000 to more than 400 restaurants in Texas. Texas restaurant owners can apply for assistance here. If youd like to donate to the Texas Restaurant Relief Fund, you can text TRRF to 31996.