In 2015, I took a leap and moved to Austin with a bare bones plan and hope. One of the first things I did was become a volunteer with Keep Austin Fed. My first rescue was the Trader Joe’s run during orientation. We laid out boxes and boxes of food in the parking lot, so much that it took about six cars to drop off to recipients. I was astonished by the amount and quality of the food that would have gone to waste.

April 10-16th is Food Waste Prevention Week, and an opportunity to show how reducing food waste helps address food insecurity in our communities. Rescuing surplus food and redistributing it is key to Keep Austin Fed’s (KAF) mission, and the reason why we partner with dozens of local food businesses and community organizations.

No matter what season it is, our Keep Austin Fed volunteers are always ready to spring into food-rescue action and connect surplus wholesome food to those who need it most. April marks National Volunteer Appreciation Month, a time to recognize the dedicated people who donate their spare time to improve their communities. The 175 active volunteers that make up KAF play a significant role in our mission to reduce food waste and hunger in Austin.

Created in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign in March that encourages healthy eating habits, physical activity and proper self-nourishment. To celebrate the yearly campaign, Rita DeBillis, the RN Case Manager at Foundation Communities, reflects on her seven years with the organization,how her expertise in nutrition improves and supports health conditions Foundation Communities residents may be living with, and the partnership with Keep Austin Fed.

With the 88th Texas Legislature well underway, Texans can expect changes in several Public Policy – including bills that affect food access. That’s why Mia Medina (No Kid Hungry Texas Program Manager and Keep Austin Fed Board Member) is continuing to advocate for federal policy changes that improve health and education on the federal level in her second Texas Legislature appearance.

In this Q&A, Medina gives her insight on some key food-access initiatives to be aware of and how you can stay informed on pressing issues.

February is Black History Month. We’d like to take this opportunity to boost the voices of our local Black neighbors who are working to correct the inequities of poverty in Austin.

Chase Wright is the Executive Director for the Hungry Hill Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to helping unhoused individuals become self-sufficient citizens through occupational jobs. He understands the hardships that many of his clients face and believes that providing the tools necessary to reach their full potential is critical.

Two well-established, local non-profits with a shared mission to reduce hunger and food waste by connecting surplus food with neighbors in need have decided to merge.

September is Recovery Month, a month that celebrates advancements made by those in substance use recovery. Several Austin community resources help make that recovery, in all its forms, possible.
With there being a significant correlation between food insecurity and substance use disorder, Keep Austin Fed (KAF) works with a number of nonprofit organizations actively supporting individuals who have experienced substance dependency.

Keep Austin Fed is an “ambulance at the bottom of the cliff.” We cannot eliminate the perils at the top, but we strive to provide sufficient aid at the bottom. Our mission - to reduce hunger and help the environment by connecting surplus food with our neighbors in need - is a triage. We believe that food insecurity in developed nations, where food is abundant, is a solvable problem – one that will take a collective effort to fix.