Small Team. Large Impact.

Volunteer Shade Oyebola reflects on her deep dive with Keep Austin Fed.

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. I had volunteered with other nonprofits focused on feeding those in need, but that was the first time I saw rescuing food on that scale. It was also when I learned about food insecurity in a meaningful way.

Eight years later, I am still a volunteer and I have a detailed plan. When I moved to Austin, I was focused on a career in music journalism. Volunteering with KAF changed my academic and professional career goals. Seeing the impact the organization has on the community made me rethink my purpose. Now, I am a graduate student at Texas State University pursuing an interdisciplinary masters degree with a focus on food insecurity. My goal is to help communicate the needs of the people struggling with food insecurity, and find ways to alleviate the causes.

In studying food insecurity, I decided to do my research practicum with KAF. They graciously agreed. Over the past 10 weeks, I have learned how the small staff is able to do so much, see the dedication and commitment of the staff and volunteers, and reflect on the challenges and accomplishments of leading a nonprofit that fights food insecurity through food rescue. The team—past and present—has built a warm community through collaboration, dependability, empathy, and trust. They have helped feed thousands of people, rescued millions of pounds of food, and allowed hundreds of volunteers feel connected. The team may be small, but their impact is large.

I am proud to say I am a Keep Austin Fed volunteer!