Mobile resource center hands out free diapers, supplies in Alice

A mobile community resource center in Alice handed out free diapers, household supplies and other essentials on Wednesday, May 27, offering a clear look at how quickly everyday costs can overwhelm South Texas families. The need centered on the basics, from baby supplies to items that help stretch a household budget when rent, groceries, utilities and child care are all competing for the same paycheck.

For Amber Molina, the assistance meant more than a few bags of supplies. Molina said it lightened her family’s burden and helped make sure her children would not go without the basic items they need every week. She said the help gives parents breathing room between paychecks. Molina said her husband works in construction, and she described the distribution as a welcome supplement to the work they are already doing to keep the household going.

Rose Marie Rodriguez, identified on Alice Housing Authority materials as the ROSS coordinator and resident services contact, said the strain is not limited to the lowest-income households. She said families with two incomes are still struggling as prices rise and expenses pile up, and that even small amounts of aid can free up money for other bills or urgent needs. Rodriguez also said people often ask for more than groceries or diapers, including child care, transportation or help getting a driver’s license.

The Alice Housing Authority has become one of the places residents turn when those pressures build. Its office is at 125 Olmito St. in Alice, and its website says the agency provides public housing, Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and multifamily housing assistance. The authority lists 243 public housing units, 154 vouchers and 21 Section 8 new construction units, a reminder that housing support remains a central part of the local safety net.

A 2025 Jim Wells County community resources list from Workforce Solutions Coastal Bend also points residents toward Alice Public Library, Alice Volunteer Services, Coastal Bend College, Coastal Bend Food Bank and 211 Texas. Together, those names sketch out the patchwork many families rely on when one paycheck is not enough to cover the month.

The Alice Housing Authority has said it has seen more people seeking help over the last two years and sometimes refers residents to other services when it cannot directly provide what they need. A previous KRIS 6 story also described a partnership between Esperanza de Tejas and the Alice Housing Authority aimed at easing financial burdens, suggesting the need in Alice is not a one-day problem but an ongoing pressure that keeps pushing families toward whatever help is available.