Houston Food Bank:

Food Insecurity and Hunger in Texas

Many in America would be quite surprised to hear of hunger in America. Unfortunately, this is a fact. Hunger in America is real, and it affects the most vulnerable in our country such as children and women. What may shock you, even more, is that in Texas the number of those in hunger is staggering.

Texas and Food Insecurity

One in six Texas households have struggled to avoid hunger from 2012 to 2014. The national hunger rate in America is about 14.3% but in Texas, the number is higher, 18.5%. To state in plain numbers, 1.7 million Texans are suffering from hunger. That is more people in any state except for California. Food security has affected Texas so much that its hunger rate has remained unchanged in three years.
Worse, some of the victims of food insecurity are the ones who can do little about their situations, which are more often than not children. In 2015, children who were at risk of hunger went up, increasing by 18,630 in southeast Texas. Food insecurity has worsened for Texan children from 24.7% to 26%. In plain numbers, one in four children are consistently hungry. That amounts to almost half a million children, a heartbreaking number of 448,490 children. These kids do not have consistent access to nutritious food.

Unfortunately, because these children do not have regular access to nutritious food and are often living in poverty, their food options are also limited. Those living in poverty and their children cannot afford fresh produce, meat, and other nutritious food items that would be vital to a healthy life. Instead, they are reduced to eating processed food that is high in sugar and fat because those are the cheaper alternatives and all that they can afford.

This can have devastating long-term health problems for those living in poverty and especially tragic for children who may suffer from early childhood obesity, which can lead to more severe illnesses, ultimately reducing their life span.

The Houston Food Bank Combats Food Insecurity in Texas

The Houston Food Bank is America’s largest food bank and was named “Food Bank of the Year” by Feeding America in the year 2015. The Houston Food Bank mission is to combat hunger and food insecurity. The Houston Food Bank distributes nutritious food through their networks of 600 partners of hunger relief charities. Houston Food Bank feeds approximately 800,000 people a year through their hunger relief charities. On an average day, Houston Food Bank feeds 66,200 people that are hungry and cannot afford to buy food. Of that number, 5000 are children.

Some facts about Food Insecurity to share:

• One out of five households faces food insecurity in southeast Texas. They live under the stress of being hungry and being unable to buy food that is nurturing and healthful.
• Children are often affected the worse; the number affected is far greater than adults. One in four children are hungry in southeast Texas.
• Often those who face food insecurity or hunger outright also struggle with other expenses needed to survive such as household expenses. Since they must struggle to survive day to day, they are distracted from achieving other goals that would make life better.
• According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, Texas is either the second or third state with the highest rate of food insecurity at 18.5%.

Making a Difference

Hercules Movers and Packers believe that with the help of communities and business we can make a difference in ending food insecurity and hunger. We are honored to be affiliated with the Houston Food Bank and aid in their mission to combat and end food insecurity in America.

5 HOME STORAGE FEATURES ON EVERY HOMEBUYER'S WISH LIST:

Millennials and Gen Xers, currently the two largest generations of homebuyers, are less interested in accumulating stuff – and storing it “just in case”— than their Baby Boomer counterparts. Today’s homebuyers hate clutter. They want their things accessible but out of sight in efficient storage spaces – not six boxes deep and difficult to find in a dark attic.

A survey conducted by the National Association of Home Builders found that storage space was one of the top two main themes on new homebuyers’ wish lists – but they aren’t asking for more sheds and larger attics. When it comes to keeping clutter at bay, homebuyers want storage spaces that provide an organized, accessible place for everything.

Here are some of the top storage features that today’s buyers are looking for in a home.

1. Mudroom -For families with children and pets, one of the biggest collections of clutter and disorganization tends to begin right at the front door. This is where backpacks, shoes, coats, sports equipment, and muddy boots accumulate. A mudroom is a preemptive solution to all of that clutter – it provides transitional space between the outdoors and the inside of a home, as well as a place to store these items out of sight.
2. Walk-in pantry-Home cooking is increasingly popular among the largest generations of homebuyers. A survey conducted by Peapod and ORC International found that 72 percent cooked at home at least four nights a week last year, and over 1/3 plan to cook more often this year. It makes sense that homebuyers are concerned with having a place to store their supplies. A walk-in pantry is a convenient way to stash everything from small appliances to staple ingredients, cleaning supplies, and recycling bins.
3. Closet space-The difference between a cluttered home and a tidy home often comes down to the closets. When houses lack closet space, guest rooms can quickly become dumping grounds for items that have no designated place but don’t belong behind the holiday decorations in a shed or the deepest recesses of the attic. Homebuyers want closet space – especially closets that are located in places that make sense, such as linen closets in bathrooms, walk-in closets in the master bedroom, and a hallway closet near the front door.
4. Garage storage-The NAHB survey found that garage storage was among homebuyers’ most desired features. Eighty-six percent of homebuyers listed it as highly desirable, while nearly a third considered it a must-have item. Some homebuyers are even looking for three-car garages – not to store a third vehicle, but for additional storage space. The appeal of garage space over outdoor storage, such as sheds and outbuildings, is that garages are easier to access. Garage storage that is accessible and organized is most useful; shelving, cabinets, and closets make storing and finding things simple.
5. Laundry room-An overwhelming majority (92 percent) of surveyed homebuyers across all age groups said that a laundry room was a high-priority home feature. A laundry room is the most efficient place to store clean and dirty laundry, an ironing station, and items that need to be line-dried or dry-cleaned. A separate space for laundry – and all things related – keeps it out of peoples’ living spaces.

Phil Karp is a 25-year real estate industry veteran and head of Brokerage Services at Owners.com, where you can buy or sell a home while saving money in the process. Phil loves offering homeowners advice to showcase the best features in their home, including storage. He lives in the Greater Atlanta area where he chases his passion for auto racing.

The Ultimate Moving Day Checklist:

It’s finally here: moving day! You’ve planned, organized, found the perfect moving company, packed everything up, donated what you don’t need, and are ready to get out of your old place and into your new home or apartment! Awesome, right!? Well, we hate to break it to you, but there’s still a few things left to do before you can say goodbye to your old digs and start new. To help you out, we’ve complied a moving day checklist with a list of everything you need to get out in the quickest and most efficient way possible. Read on for more tips on how to have a successful moving day.

#1 Wake up early

No matter what time your move is, you’ll need to wake up early on moving day. Even if you packed everything and did all of the organizing, there’s always some last-minute thing to do. To avoid unnecessary stress, you want to make sure that you give yourself enough time before the movers get to your home.

#2 Pack any last-minute items

Even if you pack everything up before your actual move, there will still be a few items left. After your shower, pack up all of your bathroom items and then pack up your kitchen perishables. Consider throwing anything out that will melt or go bad during the duration of your move.

#3 Do a final sweep of your home

Before the movers arrive, go through your home one more time. Make sure that you visit every room, checking the cabinets, closets and storage spaces. If you have a large home, you want to make sure that you check the basement, attic, driveway or your guest house.

#4 Greet your movers

Once your movers arrive give them a walkthrough of your house or apartment, highlighting any fragile boxes or the furniture pieces that you need to have disassembled. Ideally, your boxes would be clearly labeled but it’s always a good idea to discuss what you want and not assume your movers will know how you want everything loaded. Make sure to also have water on-hand for them and show them where your bathroom is, which they might need during the moving process.

#5 Moderate the move

Plan to stay around as your movers load up the boxes. They might have questions about the move and it could give you a peace of mind to watch how everything is placed on the moving truck.

#6 Final sweep

Once everything is loaded up onto the moving van, look around your home one more time. You might have some garbage to take out, or in some instances you might have to clean your place before you leave. Consider hiring a cleaning company to do this part or if you have to clean it, enlist some friends to help you. Once everything is done, lock your door and head to your new home.

#7 Go to your new place

It’s time to head to your new place! Be in touch with your movers during this process. They might have traffic issues, took a different route or simply needed to stop for lunch. Being in touch during the process is crucial so that you have an estimated time frame for when they are heading to your new home.

#8 Guide the movers

Wait for the movers at your new home, then give them a walkthrough to your new home. Let them know what room each boxes should go in. During this process, you’ll also want to make sure that you have food and water for your movers.

#9 Tip your movers

After all of the boxes are in your house and your furniture is reassembled, it’s time to tip your movers. While this is optional, it is a nice thing to do after a long day of lugging, lifting and putting together your furniture. The movers also work as a team where the driver would divide the tip amongst the group. Consider this as you factor in how you felt that they did during the entire moving process.

#10 Unpack only the essentials

Once your movers leave, unpack some of the essentials that you will need that evening of the next day. This will likely include your bathroom essentials like your toothbrush, toothpaste, fast wash and soap, kitchen items, PJs and an outfit for the next day.

#11 Put your curtains up

You likely won’t be doing that much unpacking on the first day, especially if your move took all day. Consider unpacking and hanging up your curtains to help you to avoid the morning light. You’ll have a lot to do in the upcoming days where you’ll need as much sleep as possible to keep you energized and rested.

#12 Finally relax

It’s been a long and exciting day. Take the time to finally chill and relax. Consider getting takeout and relaxing with a book, or get some fresh air by grabbing a bite in your new area.

Moving can be a really stressful experience. One way to ensure that everything runs smoothly is to create a moving day checklist. This can allow you to streamline your moving day as you focus, making sure that you complete the remaining things left to do. It is also a huge help so that you don’t forget anything before you head to your new place.

Roll-On Roll-Off vs. Container International Car Shipping:

If you recently made the decision to move overseas, chances are there are now a lot of logistical considerations and decisions that you never would have imagined. Visas, safely getting your belongings through Customs, and shipping your vehicles — there are so many options for how to approach each task! Let us help you make one decision at least: should you choose roll on roll off, or container shipping for your car? If you don’t know the difference, don’t worry. We’ll start with that.

What is Container Shipping?

To begin this process, you’ll deliver your car to a shipping company warehouse or have someone perform this service for you if the warehouse isn’t nearby. Your vehicle will either be loaded into a single-use 20ft shipping container, reserved just for your cargo, or loaded into a 40ft standard container with other vehicles or cargo headed towards the same destination. Your vehicle is secured in place for transport and stored in the container until departure day. The sealed containers are then loaded onto a ship, a process overseen by the transport company right through until your vehicle has been unloaded and handed over to you or your agent.

What is Ro Ro Shipping?

An abbreviation for roll-on-roll-off, this method looks something like the modern ferry. You deliver your vehicle to the departure port terminal, where it is stored outside until departure day. Typically there is no inspection report or log of condition upon loading, unless you specifically arrange for one – that means your vehicle can only be insured against total loss rather than damages, since no one will document damages incurred prior to transport. Vehicles are loaded onto the vessel by workers and braced into position for transport in the hull of the ship. Upon arrival at the destination port, vehicles are unloaded in a similar fashion and stored outside until you arrive to pick it up.

Comparing Costs

Ro-Ro shipping wins if you’re looking for the lowest-cost option. Since your vehicle shares port fees, customs, ocean freight, and other such costs with other vehicles, the fees are dispersed. The reduction in the shipping company’s labor — all they do is drive your vehicle on and off of the vessel and brace it into place — also reduces the costs associated with this method. You may choose to purchase more robust insurance with ro ro shipping however, which could narrow the price gap.

Comparing Security and Safety

If the security and certainty of your vehicle’s condition are of top priority, the shipping container wins hands down. Your vehicle is well braced into the container, stored indoors, and attended to closely by the shipping company. The container is generally sealed, meaning there is significantly less chance for damage during shipping. Then upon arrival, your vehicle remains protected until you are ready to assume possession – as opposed to sitting at the terminal, outdoors, waiting for your arrival.

Comparing Timeline

Here, the decision depends on what matters most: knowing exactly when your vehicle will arrive, or getting it to your destination sooner. Using a Shipping Container, your vehicle may take longer to arrive if you use the consolidated container option since the company will need to fill the rest of the space, However, you know that your vehicle is safe and protected during this time. With ro ro shipping, you deliver your car shorty prior to its departure, and it is unloaded as soon as the ship arrives. This makes transport time shorter start to finish, but gives you fewer options when it comes to your own travel timeline. If you plan to drop off your vehicle and get on a plane, this option might suit just fine. If you’re planning to wait, and would like your car protected in the meantime? Container shipping may prove a better fit.

Whether you choose to ship a car in a container or send it for a journey in the hull of a vessel, be sure to read the shipping company’s fine print and document the condition of your vehicle prior to departure with time-stamped photos for your own peace of mind.

Car Shipping International Move