Now more than ever, our neighbors need our help...
According to Feeding America, the food insecurity rate in Travis County is 17.1%, compared to 15.4% nationwide. For children, it’s 24% in Travis County, compared to a national child food insecurity rate of 20.9%.
With the holiday season rapidly approaching (and the recent news surrounding the government shutdown and delayed SNAP benefits), Austinites are stepping up! Food insecurity affects the most vulnerable in our community, so we've compiled a quick guide to upcoming food drop offs, as well as resources for local food banks and mutual aid. Find out how you can help!
If you're wanting to lend a hand even further, peruse our page on Helping Our Unhoused Neighbors, as well as other ways you can Volunteer Around Austin.
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photo via Central Texas Food Bank
EVENTS & DROP OFFS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8
10:00AM – 11:00AM – Fredericksburg, TX
United Methodist Church
1800 Llano Street, Fredericksburg, TX 78624
9:00–10:30 AM – S. Austin, TX
KIPP School South
5107 I-35, Austin, TX 78744
9:00–10:30 AM – Uhland, TX
Uhland Elementary School
2331 High Rd., Kyle, TX 78640
Special Food Distribution For SNAP Recipients
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10
4:30 – 6:30 PM – Killeen, TX
Killeen Mall
2100 SW S Young Drive
By the J.C. Penney entrance
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 12
5:00 – 7:00 PM – Round Rock, TX
1801 E Old Settlers Blvd
Round Rock, TX 78664
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15
9:00 – 10:30 AM – Kyle, TX
ACC Hays
1200 Kohlers Crossing
Kyle, TX 78640
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22
9:00 – 10:30 AM – Buda, TX
McCormick Middle School
5700 Dacy Lane
Buda, TX 78610
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Join Meanwhile in supporting the Central Texas Food Bank & their efforts to provide food to our neighbors in need. The will be accepting food donations. This food drive will run through the rest of the year, and anyone who donates will get 15% off their tab as a thank you. Additionally, they'll be donating $1 per every Darlin' Lager sold to the Central Texas Food Bank. See the list of requested food items here.
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One of our favorite Austin eateries, Chi'lantro is launching their new Kids Eat Free on Weekends program.
For the first weekend - November 8th and 9th - kids eat free with no other purchase necessary, no questions asked! Every weekend following, kids 10 & under get one free Kid’s Tray for every Entree + Fountain Drink purchased at regular price.
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This east side hot spot has opened its doors as a food drive collection site to support our community as SNAP benefits are paused, leaving millions without essential food assistance. You can drop off non-perishable food and hygiene items at during all business hours — 11AM to Midnight daily.
Donations will go directly to ATX Free Fridge and the Central Texas Food Bank - get more info and see what's most needed on their Instagram post.
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Starting Thursday, November 6th through Sunday, November 16th, Cork & Screw will be hosting a Food Drive to support local Austin families in need this holiday season. Bring a non-perishable item or essential good and drop it off during your next visit — every small act makes a huge impact. See a list of the most-needed donation items here.
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The Healing Project has announced Healing On Wheels, their mobile community resource and food delivery program! They’re calling on the community for volunteers to join us in spreading healing and hope across Austin. They need drivers, client communications, distribution support and more. See a list and learn more here.
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Sir Rat Leather and Gear launching the Texas Leather Food Pantry Project, a community effort built from love, urgency, and the belief that no one in our queer family should ever go hungry. This project will reach across Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Corpus Christi, and the Rio Grande Valley, along with other Eagles, bringing people together to collect and share food with those who need it most.
They’ll be using their stores in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston as food collection sites, along with Elements Realms & Beyond in Corpus Christi, Dallas Eagle in Dallas, and the RGV Bears in the Rio Grande Valley. Learn how you can volunteer here.
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Sunday, November 23 - 11am - 3pm
Throughout the year local Austin area potters make thousands of soup bowls and donate them to the Austin Empty Bowl Project. At this annual event people are invited to pick out a ceramic bowl, choose from several delicious soups donated by some of the best Austin restaurants, listen to live music, and bid in a silent auction. After lunch, guests take their bowls home with them as a reminder that others less fortunate have “empty bowls.” All proceeds will benefit Central Texas Food Bank Kids Cafe and Meals on Wheels Central Texas.
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FOOD PANTRIES / MUTUAL AID ORGS TO KNOW
ATX Free Fridge is a mutual aid project run by and for the community, combating food insecurity and food waste by partnering with local residents and businesses to stock and maintain free community fridges across Austin. Rooted in mutual aid, not charity, their model is simple: give what you can, take what you need. Everyone deserves access to fresh food, no questions asked. Find out what they need RIGHT NOW to keep their fridges stocked - they post updates on Instagram regularly.
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Free Lunch is an Austin-based collective of five creatives dedicated to providing meals to the community in need. With a focus on offering nuanced support tailored to the unique needs of each individual, Free Lunch partners with Our Shared Kitchen and Walking By Faith to deliver three meals a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to the Esperanza Community. The organization is sustained through community support, primarily from subscribers to their magazine whose contributions ensure the consistency and longevity of the program.
NOTE: Free Lunch is part of a Gruppechat Food Drive/Car Show at Top Notch (Burnet) on November 20th!
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The mission of mutual aid is simple: to organize on a grassroots level and redistribute supplies and donations to those who need them. Several mutual aid groups have been created in Austin and facilitate the redistribution of supplies, food, and more to those in need. You can support these groups through donations and volunteering. One of these operating locally is Austin Mutual Aid. Follow them on Instagram to learn how you can participate in collective care.
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Hunger affects people from all walks of life. Working families, retired seniors on fixed incomes, grandparents with custody of grandchildren, the chronically ill and the disabled all turn to the Central Texas Food Bank for help in emergencies or as part of their regular meal planning. They are an incomparable resource for the Austin area, especially in times like these. They have some important drop offs and other events to know about that are coming up - follow them on social to stay up to date.
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The Food For All Project improves the lives of anyone impacted by food insecurity through the free distribution of rescued and donated food. The centerpiece of their food sourcing efforts revolves around the pick up (rescue) and distribution of food that would otherwise go to waste from generous donor partners including grocery stores, restaurants, food vendors, community groups, and caring individuals like you.
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Since 2000, Hope volunteers have been offering free groceries to Austin families experiencing food insecurity, working to cultivate an environment that emphasizes opportunities for connection and mutuality–because these are basic needs, too. Their shoppers are diverse in age and circumstance, as are their volunteers! They serve older adults, single parents, differently-abled people, families experiencing homelessness and adults who are under or unemployed.
NOTE: In response to the delayed SNAP funds and government shutdown, Hope will add one more distribution day in the week (Saturdays) for the next two months of November and December.
Hope’s doors will be open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday* from 9 – 10:30 AM through December 27th.
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Meals on Wheels Central Texas delivers hot, healthy meals and vital safety checks to thousands of older Central Texans. Compassionate volunteers help make it possible, so find out how you can help on their website!
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Sunday Lunchbox (SL) is a 501(c)3 organization whose vision is to provide access to nutritious and community inspired food options for all Central Texas families. They do this by giving food for those most underserved by our local food system. Learn more about their mission and how you can help here.
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Hungry Souls provides nutritious meals to children in our community who need it most, helping them grow into who they’re meant to be and break generational cycles of scarcity and poverty. Through partnerships with local schools, they ensure children and their families have enough to eat during weekends and school breaks—the times when they are most likely to go hungry—so they can thrive in school and in life.
Did we miss a great resource?
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