Student Parent Resources

Bobcat Bounty
Bobcat Bounty is the student-run, on-campus food pantry at Texas State. Distributions take place on Monday evenings from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the Family and Consumer Sciences building, room 187. New participants must complete the Participant Survey in order to receive food. 

Hays County Food Bank
Food distribution for those facing food insecurity is the central focus of their mission.The distribution schedule and locations is available on their website. 

Southside Community Center 
Can help find resources for medical care, food and shelter. Open Monday-Friday from 8am - 5pm. Free hot meal from 4pm - 5pm. Open showers 3pm-4pm. 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps people buy the food they need for good health. People also can buy garden seeds with SNAP benefits. Call (877) 541-7905 for assistance.

Texas WIC 
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, popularly known as WIC, is a nutrition program for pregnant, breastfeeding women and families with children younger than five. Call 800-942-3678 to apply today or visit their website. 

Additional Food Security Resources in the San Marcos and Round Rock communities are available on the Basic Needs Hub. 

Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Perinatal Coverage 
For pregnant women who meet certain income requirements if applicant does not qualify for Medicaid or have other health insurance. (877) 543-7669 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 
TANF provides financial and medical assistance to needy dependent children and their parents or relatives. Eligible TANF households receive monthly cash and Medicaid benefits. (800)448-3927 

Texas Medicaid and CHIP
Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provide health coverage for low-income children, families, seniors and people with disabilities. Apply for Medicaid and CHIP online. 

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 
TANF provides financial and medical assistance to needy dependent children and their parents or relatives. Eligible TANF households receive monthly cash and Medicaid benefits. (800) 448-3927 

One-Time TANF 
Built for single moms that are in a short-term crisis and provides $1,000 cash. (877) 541-7905 

United Way for Greater Austin: Parenting Students Project 
Can provide up to a yearly $6,000 stipend for parenting students enrolled fulltime in a higher ed institution for child care, emergency cash assistance, or other services. 

Student Parents Empowered Scholarship 
Designated for parenting students who live in Bexar County.

Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships 
Information available about grants, loans (including emergency tuition and short term loans), scholarships and alternative loans are available on the TXST One Stop website. 

Bobcat Gold 
FREE Financial Coaching. IGRAD financial literacy courses for you, your money, and your future!

BOSS 
The Bobcat Online Scholarship System allows students to use one application to apply for as many Texas State scholarships for which they are eligible.

Texas Benefits
Texans have access to resources that assist with the immense costs of having a family. This website connects Texans to the CHIP, SNAP, TANF, and other programs through Texas Health and Human Services.

Dean of Students Office 
Emergency funding - Available to currently-enrolled students to assist in meeting their basic needs that cannot be covered due to an urgent, unexpected emergency situation. Emergency funding is not intended for tuition and fees.

Free Service, Apartment Locators: 

• Apartment Pros (512) 917-7833 
• Apartments and More (512) 522-6722

San Marcos Housing Authority 
Income based rent, application process, waiting list utilized. (512) 353-5058  

San Marcos Rent and Utility Assistance  

Southside Community Center 
Can help find resources for medical care, food and shelter. Open Monday-Friday from 8am - 5pm. Free hot meal from 4pm - 5pm. Open showers 3pm-4pm. Temporary housing for up to 3 months.

Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) 
Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Program. Assistance with application fees and security deposits. (800)525-0657 

Texas Health and Human Services 
Search portal for child day care or for 24-hr residential child care.

Texas Childcare Connection
Search portal to identify childcare in Texas, supported with federal Child Care and Development Block Grant funds from the Texas Workforce Commission.

Child Care Services (CSC) & Early Learning Program 
The Childcare Services (CCS) program provides scholarships for childcare. Childcare scholarships are available to help parents work, search for work, or attend school or job training. The CCS program works to inform parents about the availability and benefits of high-quality childcare. CCS supports childcare givers to improve the quality of services through the Texas Rising Star program. CCS supports and encourages childcare programs to expand through the Pre-K Partnership program. (800) 628-5115

Texas State's Child Development Center
The Child Development Center is located on the Texas State University Campus. Information about getting on the wait list is available on their website, and questions to be directed to 512.245.2621.

San Marcos Public Library
The San Marcos Public Library has story time for preschoolers and toddlers twice a week, a different puppet show every month, Lego Mania twice a month, and various events in between.

Boys and Girls Club
Boys and Girls Club is primarily another childcare option, but they also offer programs and activities for children that do not attend school through the program. They have events such as Day for Kids, Storybook Parade, and the Super Bowl Family Party. During winter break they often offer day camps.

San Marcos Activity Center
Year round the San Marcos Activity Center provides an affordable gym and pool that has childcare services. There are also various affordable sports programs for youth starting as young as age two. Their website also provides a calendar of events. The Activity Center also has information on local community events.

Capital Area Rural Transportation Services (CARTS bus Service) 

• Rides can be arranged by calling (512) 478-RIDE (7433)   
• Scheduled local service rides are $2.00 (or $1.00 at the reduced rate) and run from 7:30am – 5:30 pm 
•  Scheduled Austin rides are $6.00 and run from 8:10-6:55 
• All route information can be found at https://www.ridecarts.com/how-to-ride  

Transportation Services
Transportation and Fleet Services manages the Bobcat Shuttle and Fleet Operations on the Texas State Campus. Visit their website for routes and schedules, as well as real-time tracking.

Academic Advising 
Meet with your academic advisor to explore major options, plan out your semester course schedule, and make sure you are on track for graduation.

Collaborative Learning Center
Tutoring for STEM majors in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, math, and physics.

Math CATS
Drop-in math tutoring, study groups, study skill workshops, open computer lab.

Disability Services
Provides academic accommodations and auxiliary aids to students to allow them equal access to the university environment. Students must apply for services in order to receive them.

Physics Study Center
Walk-in support from Learning Assistants for physics homework or other course-related material.

Sociology Department Tutoring Lab
Tutoring for sociology statistics (SOCI 3307)

STEM Communities Study Centers
Help from Learning Assistants for homework and other course-related material in BIO 1330, BIO 1331, and CHEM 1341.

Student Learning Assistance Center (SLAC) |
The Student Learning Assistance Center supports student success through walk-in tutoring, supplemental instruction, Veteran Academic Success Center, and online resources!

Testing, Evaluation, & Measurement Center (TEMC)
TEMC meets testing and evaluation needs. TEMC is comprised of Testing Lab Services; Academic Testing for Students with Disabilities; Scanning Services; and the Round Rock Testing Center. TEMC supports student persistence, reduces barriers to graduation, and supports faculty research.

TRIO/Student Support Services
Application-based program. Offers free services for students who meet one of the following: 1st Generation, Low Income, Disability. Services include tutoring, early registration, textbook and calculator loans, mentoring & success coaching, workshops, seminars. STEM majors also participate in career trips, networking, science pipeline, and undergraduate research.

University Libraries
Supports students, faculty, staff and the greater community by providing patron-centered services, comprehensive and diverse collections, individual and collaborative learning environments, innovative technologies, and opportunities to learn, create, and discover.

University Writing Center
Individual writing helps to develop writers from all majors. Meet expectations, purposes, and audiences; organization, development; coherence; clarity, writing and citation styles;
grammar; writing anxiety; and more. Most genres including essays, reports, applications, theses, scholarly publications, creative work.

Veteran Academic Success Center (VASC)
Peer-to-peer mentoring services for military-connected and veteran students utilizing federal educational benefits.

World Languages and Literature Department
Tutoring for French, German, & Spanish

Career Services 

• Career Counseling/Planning
• Career Fairs
• Peer Advising 
  • Resume reviews and cover letter reviews
  • Part-time job search assistance
  • Interview preparation

Texas Workforce Commission
Texas Workforce Commission is the state agency charged with overseeing and providing workforce development services to employers and job seekers of Texas.

Single Stop 

211 Texas 

Community Resources in San Marcos 

Texas Benefits
Texans have access to resources that assist with the immense costs of having a family. This website connects Texans to the CHIP, SNAP, TANF, and other programs through Texas Health and Human Services.

Networx
Networx connects mothers and babies with local resources that are free or low cost. Sign up for their fee Monday Mama Mail for regular updates.

Many of our student parents have found the Raising San Marcos Facebook page to be helpful in learning about community parenting resources and making connections with other local parents. We are not all involved in this page, nor is it endorsed by the university, but our students have recommended it.

WIC
The primary focus of WIC is to provide education for parents and caregivers about the proper nutrition for infants and children. Clients can attend various informational workshops, receive breastfeeding support, and supplemental WIC foods.

Communities In Schools
Connects Texas parents with up-to-date parenting information, ideas, and resources. 
 

Parents as Teachers
Parents as Teachers is a free program offered to pregnant or parenting families with children aged birth to five years, in Hays and Caldwell Counties.The Parents as Teachers (PAT) curriculum informs, supports, and encourages parents by matching them with a trained home visitor who can answer questions, give advice, and recommend services.