About us
Blessing Bags is a 501c3 non-profit birthed out of the desire to help the homeless and exemplify the love of God in action. Our mission is to alleviate and uplift our impoverished brothers and sisters through the giving of physical necessities, resource materials, and prayer.
Blessing Bags started in April of 2019 originally as an outreach effort, where friends and family came together to distribute meals and care packages to the homeless in downtown San Antonio, Texas. This outreach continued even throughout the eye of the Covid-19 storm, and metamorphosed into what is now the non-profit, Blessing Bags, as of February 2021.
On average, we complete two outreaches per month, distributing a total of 50 blessing bags every month. Our upcoming goal is to step up and distribute 60 bags each month, and continue to grow from there. Typically in each bag we supply snacks, basic necessities and toiletries, as well as resource materials on what organizations are available in the city to help them.
We love God, so we love people.
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another towards love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
- Hebrews 10:23-25
Who am I ?
It’s ya girl, Shannon Villanueva. California raised, Texas livin’. I am a young (at least I like to think so) woman passionate about people, culture, and Jesus. I absolutely love to travel, play basketball, wakeboard, hike, try new ethnic foods, write… to make it simple, put me next to a body of water on a sunny day with a good book and I’ll be golden! A huge desire of mine is to live abroad and teach English, coach basketball/sports, and continue the mission of aiding those living in poverty.
There is a kaleidoscopic array of reasons why I wanted to initiate a cause to help the homeless - My dad is from El Salvador (one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere) and ever since childhood, he has instilled in me to have a grateful mindset and to be conscientious of the destitute and suffering; I have been fortunate enough to volunteer in many corners of this wonderous world, including South Africa, Fiji, Kosovo, and Mexico. My experiences working with and living among those that have next to nothing has ignited my desire to help the poor even more so; in addition to all of this, I believe it has been engrained in my DNA to have compassion towards those living on the streets and therefore, to be proactive about it. My faith in Jesus is the bedrock of my life and a compass that directs what I care about and how I love people. My relationship with God is what has propelled me to care for the poor all over the world, as well as start this outreach. I am more than excited to see what we can do through Blessing Bags!