Our Mission

To reduce hunger and help the environment by connecting surplus food with our neighbors in need.

Our Core Values

  • Connection - We will engage and collaborate with our partners and the broader community to address the needs of the community, reduce the power differential between charitable organizations and the communities they serve, and work toward the common good of the community and our mission.

    We will advocate on behalf of the food insecure community and of our planet (via the impact of food waste on our environment).

  • Flexibility - We commit to flexibility to all of our key stakeholders. To our volunteers, we allow them to choose their own schedule of food rescue runs. We work closely with our food contributors and community partners to accommodate changes in schedules and processes. We encourage work/life balance for our staff by providing flexibility in work hours and location. We remain open to change and compromise to improve our service to the community and to keep the process enjoyable for our volunteers.

  • Integrity - We uphold the highest ethical standard and promote trust and respect with all of our constituents. We foster compassion and empathy for the communities we serve and remain humble in our role to serve them.

The Short History

Keep Austin Fed began in 2004, when founder Randy Rosens saved high quality catered food from an Austin Museum of Art Fundraising event at Laguna Gloria that was headed to the dumpster. The food fed a group of women and children living at a shelter in South Austin.

Today our volunteers rescue thousands of meals each month, feeding hundreds of our neighbors living with food insecurity, and putting a dent in the amount of food in the U.S. that ends up in a landfill and produces harmful methane gas.

Our Staff and Board are instrumental to keeping operations running smoothly and implementing strategic growth to meet the expanding needs.

OUR STAFF

  • A woman with blonde, wavy hair wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and blue jeans standing outdoors on a rocky beach with greenery in the background.

    Lisa Barden

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  • A woman with dark brown hair and a big smile, wearing a navy blue cardigan over a white t-shirt, sitting outdoors in a garden with green plants and trees in the background.

    Jess Palmer

    PROGRAM DIRECTOR

  • A smiling young man wearing glasses, a navy blue shirt, and a yellow plaid bow tie, standing outdoors next to a tree with green foliage in the background.

    Adrian Gonzalez

    OPERATIONS ASSISTANT

  • Professional portrait of a smiling woman with curly hair, wearing a dark blazer and a white shirt with a small floral pattern, against a blue background.

    Shade Oyegbola

    OPERATIONS ASSISTANT

  • A young woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and a big smile, wearing a blue and white floral top, standing outdoors on a city street with a blurred background of trees and people.

    Katherine Andrews

    Outreach Coordinator

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • A woman smiling outdoors with trees and grass in the background, wearing a black headscarf and earrings.

    Angie Luck

    ACTING PRESIDENT

  • Kemi Balasire

    TREASURER

  • A smiling man with blonde hair wearing a light gray suit, white shirt, and blue tie with white dots, standing against a dark background.

    Jonathan Parnell

    SECRETARY

  • A man with a beard and short hair wearing a dark blazer and white shirt, smiling outdoors in a park with a city skyline in the background.

    Russell Cavin

  • Man with short brown hair, beard, and blue eyes, wearing a dark blue button-down shirt, sitting with hands clasped on a wooden table, against a stone wall background.

    Cam Wilson

  • Portrait of a man with dark curly hair, wearing a blue suit and white shirt, sitting indoors near a window with greenery outside.

    Hani Farid

  • Professional portrait of a man with short hair in a gray suit, light blue shirt, and gray tie, smiling against a neutral gray background.

    Ikenna Okoro

  • Close-up portrait of a smiling man with gray hair and beard, wearing a dark vest over a light blue shirt, against a black background.

    Brian Berg

  • A man with short dark hair, wearing a dark striped shirt and sunglasses, sitting and smiling outdoors.

    Michael Berg

  • A woman with short blonde hair smiling, wearing a black sleeveless top, sitting outdoors with a vineyard in the background.

    Allison Johnson

FOUNDING MEMBERS

  • A man with glasses kneeling inside a white cargo van, surrounded by boxes of various sizes. The man is wearing a beige vest and a blue long-sleeve shirt with shorts.

    Randy Rosens

    FOUNDER

  • A smiling man with white hair and a beard, wearing a white T-shirt, holding a cardboard box and standing near an open car trunk outdoors.

    Ira Kaplan

  • A woman with blonde hair smiling and holding a medal in front of a wall with movie posters.

    Susan Hensarling Nahkunst

  • A man with short hair, dressed in a black shirt, standing with arms crossed in front of a red curtain.

    Joseph DeLeon

  • A woman with long blonde hair, glasses, and a blue beaded necklace smiling outdoors in front of a wooden fence.

    Jennifer James

    FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER