Many of the residents of Lyons Gardens no longer work and rely on fixed incomes. After the cost of housing and healthcare, there is often little left over to purchase food. Older adults experiencing health challenges or mobility issues can also find it difficult to travel to the grocery store or prepare meals in their kitchens.

Keep Austin Fed’s weekly donation is perfectly tailored to meet the needs of Lyons Gardens’ residents. The meals are cooked and assembled by CookUnity, a meal delivery service specializing in fresh and seasonal menus crafted by a team of chefs. The residents receive the meals already prepared and portioned, cutting down on the work needed to enjoy them. “It’s a big help because it’s ready to eat,” said a Lyons Gardens resident. “All you have to do is heat it up and eat it.”

CookUnity emphasizes variety and seasonal dishes, so residents receive an assortment of different meals each week. “I’m trying things I never would have eaten before,” said a Lyons Gardens resident. “It’s good.” The prepared meals are also healthy, providing residents with essential nutrition. “The portion sizes are big, and [the meals] have good flavor,” added another resident. “It’s also healthy.”

When JP’s Peace, Love & Happiness Foundation asked how they could best support families affected by the SNAP delays, our answer was immediate: “grocery gift cards, so people can still buy exactly what they need.” Soon after, Glimmer Austin stepped up, offering to match the donation, and asking what more they could help us do.

Although donating is a simple addition to the shops’ daily routines, it provides a big boost to satisfaction and engagement. “When my staff found out that we were going to be donating, they were all very excited to contribute,” said Perez. “When our guests find out that we’re a part of it, it also makes them very happy.”

In addition to fostering relationships with the community and spending time with his family, Ric enjoys volunteering with Keep Austin Fed because it provides him with the opportunity to help others access the same assistance he once received. “I can relate because I remember being on the other side. And sometimes you can be shy or embarrassed. But to be honest in the world we live in today and how much food is just thrown away… there’s enough out there to go around,” said Ric. “And me personally, it just warms my heart to have the time and energy to be there not just with the people that need it but with my family also.”

When SNAP Stops: What the November Gap Means for Austin

Beginning November 1, 2025, an interruption in federal SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) funding will cancel benefits for thousands of Austin families. For many, this means an immediate loss of their primary source for groceries, and a ripple effect across our entire food system.

“We’ve struggled with too little, too much,” said Josh Lit, General Manager and one of Batch’s co-founders. “And we don’t struggle with that anymore because now if there’s too much, we know it’s going to a good place.”

While there are many organizations in Austin dedicated to addressing the needs of families and individuals, Everette sees her personal experience with poverty and her long-term commitment to her clients as setting Saffron Trust apart. “All this exorbitant money is being spent, and not one woman has been cycled out of poverty. She may not have been evicted, but she has not been cycled out of poverty,” said Everette. “With me, lives change. I don’t just tell women how to do something. I walk them through it, give them the money to do it alongside me. That’s the difference.”

As national and state changes in law and policy create an uncertain future for many of our neighbors, taking action locally is increasingly important. Keep Austin Fed is committed to upholding the dignity of all our neighbors and advocating for food as a human right. By reducing food waste and insecurity, we look toward a more equitable and more sustainable future for everyone.

In her seven months as a volunteer, Olivia has completed more than 70 rescues and adopted three early morning runs. She has also formed relationships with the food donors and recipient partners she meets each week and used her rescues to establish a routine in her new city. “You’re moving somewhere, and everything is new. There’s no sense of community yet,” said Olivia. “But [volunteering] is a commitment to these people that you’re going to show up every day as well as a commitment to yourself.”

In their new role as Operations Assistant, Louis will manage Keep Austin Fed’s cold storage hub, prepare incoming and outgoing donations, collaborate with volunteers and partner organizations, and ensure all food rescues are covered. After their first two weeks with Keep Austin Fed, Louis says they appreciate the drive of Keep Austin Fed’s weekly volunteers and their shared commitment to feeding neighbors in need. “Volunteers are really the backbone of Keep Austin Fed, and I got to see the different ways that volunteers organize and communicate. I also have learned a lot more about Austin, the town I grew up in, and the different organizations helping people with access to food,” said Louis.

Volunteering in any form is a powerful tool to teach students about helping others. “[Volunteering] instills that internal desire to give back and to do good in the world and exposes [students] to situations that they might not otherwise see,” said Allison Johnson, President of the Westlake chapter of YMSL and Keep Austin Fed board member. “It’s a great way for them to understand what the needs are in the community and that if we’re not addressing those needs, then these people aren’t being helped.”

After nearly 20 years of rescuing food, Rosemary sees food access as a critical piece of her activism. “The hunger crisis in this country is absolutely unacceptable,” said Rosemary. “I’m very passionate about food rescue and making sure everyone’s fed. Having lived in food deserts myself, I know what it means to not have access to good quality food.”

Becoming an Environmental Partner highlights the environmental impact of our work and connects us with businesses who care deeply about sustainability. Together, we can expand our efforts, keep more food out of the landfill, and get nutritious meals into the hands of our neighbors.

More than anything, Jill hopes to instill the importance of giving back in her two sons. “I hope that they grow up to have a heart of service… and see themselves as part of a collective,” said Jill.

Christina is passionate about social issues and sees food access as critical to the well-being of individuals and communities. “I feel like nutritious food is a necessity and a human right that everyone should have access to, so it’s something that’s near and dear to me.”

This month, Keep Austin Fed is celebrating the many businesses that donate their surplus food to the community. Our food donors differ in size and industry, but they are united in their desire to nourish their neighbors and to reduce organizational food waste.

Every volunteer at Keep Austin Fed brings a unique set of skills and ideas to the organization. Lloyd Smith, our July volunteer spotlight, supports Keep Austin Fed’s mission with his dedication, grit, and joyful attitude.

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is “where do you take all of the food that gets donated to you?” Keep Austin Fed provides healthy food access to diverse communities in the Austin area through strong partnerships with other nonprofits addressing the root causes of food insecurity.

This past week, I had the opportunity to attend my first ReFED Summit in Seattle and thoroughly enjoyed the three-day event. While the food system faces enormous challenges and uncertainties, the overall tone was one of positivity, collaboration, and a firm resolve to double- and triple-down on addressing food waste.

Less than a year after opening, Hattie B’s new Austin location began its partnership with Keep Austin Fed. Each week, the store donates its surplus chicken back to the community, keeping food out of the landfill and easing barriers to food access.