Everyday heroes making differences every day | Lifestyle | The Daily News - Galveston County Daily News

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May 5 was a warm and windy spring day in the neighborhood. The streets around St. Vincent’s House were relatively quiet.

But inside the building at 2817 Postoffice St. in Galveston was a beehive of activity.

Working side by side on a long, white table set up in the pantry area, staff members Angela Hill, Nina Ash, Dionne Spriggs, Sandra Tousant and Shanice Blair were all wearing protective masks, yet managed to smile with their eyes while moving with purpose.

They were busy preparing bags of much-needed food and other essential items for the steady stream of families that stopped by.

Stepping outside through the back door into the alleyway, I was introduced to Paula Tobon-Stevens, executive director — who was also wearing a mask, comfortable flip flops and a HOPE T-shirt — along with team members Fernando Buckley and Amber Evans.

Tobon-Stevens recently returned to St. Vincent’s House after two years at the University of Texas School of Public Health’s Center for Health Care Data, serving as administrator of special projects.

She was directing a line of cars filled with moms, dads, grandparents and small children all waiting for the food truck. Suddenly, the Lighthouse Charity Team truck pulled up, and Carrie Witburn, her husband, B.J. Witburn, Amanda Coy and Gary Steinbach made their way to the serving tables. The day’s menu: barbecue plates with all the fixings.

Lighthouse Charity Team is a partner that serves hot meals to families. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the families are instructed to practice social distancing by staying in their vehicles.

Paula and her team used the wait time to connect with the families. They started friendly conversations and inquired about the families’ welfare, mental and physical health and food needs and tried to get as many touch points as possible.

The St. Vincent’s team also provided information to the families about services such as The HOPE Clinic administered by the University of Texas Medical Branch, a vision clinic in partnership with Prevent Blindness Texas and the Galveston Chapter of Lions International, along with dental; family services; mental health clinics; and speech, physical and occupational therapy.

Established in 1954, St. Vincent’s House has provided programs and services to disadvantaged and underserved families in the Galveston community.

“It allows us to provide hot meals while connecting and addressing as many needs as possible with these families, Tobon-Stevens said, adding that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization is seeing many first-time families.

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