Bella Vista Homes and Princeton Classic Homes employees raised $8,274 for San Antonio charities at a silent auction sponsored by the builders.

Employees gathered to bid on model home appliances replaced when the builders switched brands with the money raised donated to the San Antonio Food Bank and the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner Foundation.

Both organizations help the hungry, with one of them near and dear to the heart of Bella Vista employee Art Jimenez.

Jimenez is the grandson of San Antonio restaurant owner and businessman, Raul Jimenez. Recognizing that many seniors are alone on Thanksgiving, Raul organized the Thanksgiving dinner event, which has since become a San Antonio tradition.

Today the meal is served to more than 24,000 seniors and food insecure members of the San Antonio community at the Henry B Gonzalez Convention Center. More than 4,000 volunteers — many of them Bella Vista employees — assist with the coordination of transportation, food preparation and service, beverages, decorations, entertainment, security and clean up.

A check for $4,137 was presented to Art Jimenez and his aunt Patricia at a ceremony held at the Bella Vista office where he is part of the builder’s sales team. It was the first donation the foundation received in 2021.

Tammy Zink, Vice President of Sales for Bella Vista, presented a check for $4,137 to San Antonio Food Bank President & CEO Eric Cooper. The non-profit organization serves approximately 120,000 food insecure individuals — many of them children — per week. Covering 16 southwest Texas counties, the food bank is one of the largest service areas in Texas.

Bella Vista Homes and Princeton Homes would like to thank employees on their generosity. Their care and empathy for the San Antonio community definitely shines through.