David Davenport
President and CEO

This time last year, I was in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States. The night before the historic ceremony, I had the opportunity to participate in an interfaith celebration where Methodist Bishop Gregory V. Palmer shared his thoughts on the upcoming event. He said “Our eyes burn. Our American eyes, from the bright light of possibilities.”

Few Americans have been immune to the impact of the economic crisis that so aggressively hit our nation just prior to the inauguration, and continues with little relief on the horizon. Press reports and pundits have indicated that Texas (and specifically Central Texas) has been spared the brunt of the economic challenges. A deeper, more realistic look at 2009 in Central Texas indicates that more families, seniors and children found themselves clients of the Capital Area Food Bank.

Mobile Food Pantry distribution, San Saba, TX, 2009

Even before the severe economic decline, Texas had the country’s highest percentage of children at risk of hunger. As more and more Texans found themselves in need of food assistance, the SNAP (Food Stamp) enrollment system began to fail, and the Food Bank-led hunger-relief system became overwhelmed with new clients as the hunger line grew by 60 percent.

In response, CAFB deployed new assets and programs such as the Mobile Food Pantry and Central Texas Food Rescue, and opened direct distribution service centers in East Austin and Pflugerville. The Food Bank also invested in two new full-sized tractor trailers to increase delivery, opened a satellite warehouse facility and provided more than 23 million pounds of nutritious food to those desperately in need (up from an average 15.7 million pounds 2006-2008).  

As we begin 2010, we find ourselves in the challenging position of rapidly growing our organization to meet the challenges of a struggling economy and its impact on our more than 300,000 clients, and strategically positioning ourselves to shrink the hunger line and ultimately provide a long-term solution for hunger in the communities we serve.

Over the next 12 months, the Food Bank will deploy our second Mobile Food Pantry, expand direct service to clients, and develop systems to assist our organization in tracking the impact of the critical supplies distributed. With our collaborative partners, we will expand Partner Agency capacity, and we will continue to meet the demand and shrink the hunger line.

Dell and others volunteering in Product Recovery, 2009

I am confident we will have success as we continue to evolve. I am sold on the Capital Area Food Bank because I am sold on YOU. From the 27,000 members of our community who made financial contributions, to the 13,000 volunteers who gave more than 77,000 hours of service, and to those who gave their voice to the public policy issues impacting so many of our neighbors in need, YOU were there for the children, families and seniors in need of physical and emotional nourishment. YOU are the ones who believe hunger, in a community as resourced as ours, is economically, socially and morally unacceptable. YOU believe, YOU acted on your belief, and YOU placed food in front of those in need – food that would otherwise not have been there.

 Thank you. We celebrate our outstanding work together.

 Now, it’s back to work.

“Once he leaves here [Kids Cafe], he does not eat dinner. What he gets here is his dinner.” – Adrienne Rancier, Director, Boys & Girls Club, South Austin.

Watch the video -

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouw0gJTPLW0]

Want more info? Click here.

Kim Willis – Fresh Food for Families provides low-income families with fresh produce – free of charge, and I had the privilege of spending my morning at the Rosewood-Zaragosa Neighborhood Center during their distribution time.

The staff at the center are wonderful and generous. Folks start lining up at 8 a.m. to wait for the fresh produce to arrive. Some wait for a couple hours before the line opens. The staff arrange the tables and work with the volunteers in order to be prepared for distribution. Tables are pulled out and placed in a line and the volunteers wait patiently for the food.

The truck arrives and out comes fresh produce…mounds and mounds. (The produce delivered depends on what’s donated.) The volunteers quickly organize and arrange the fruit, veggies and bread so each person can receive their portion. When the line opens, each person and/or family walks through and is given their food. The staff, volunteers and community greet each other with smiles and warm wishes.

I am amazed by the generosity of our community and I’m so thankful for the opportunity to have met my new friends at the Rosewood-Zaragosa Neighborhood Center. Thank you!

The food is distributed once a month to various locations in Central Texas . For more information regarding this program click here.

Volunteers and staff work together in assisting evacuees

Cars continue to line the parking lot

As of 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19

Approximately 240,000 pounds of food & supplies and $380,000 has been donated by the public. Volunteers are preparing emergency food packages to give to evacuees on site and to ship to food banks in affected areas. We are in close contact with the Houston Food Bank and will send food and supplies as soon as their infrastructure to receive and distribute is in place.

Emergency food packages are available at the Food Bank for evacuees staying in Central Texas. They can pick them up NOON – 5 p.m. on FRIDAY, 9/19 and SATURDAY, 9/20 at: 8201 S. Congress Ave, between William Cannon & Slaughter Lane.

NEXT STEPS: After Saturday, evacuees can receive emergency food packages from CAFB Partner Agencies throughout Central Texas. We are working closely with our Partner Agencies to make sure they are stocked to meet the demand. View or referral list here. (pdf)

The Food Bank will accept donations on-site, around the clock THROUGH SATURDAY, 9/19 at 5 p.m. Donations will be accepted again Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m.

MOST NEEDED: Canned meats and soups with pop-top lids, and diapers (adult and baby), granola bars, peanut butter, personal care items (shampoo, toothbrushes, soap, feminine hygiene).

** We no longer need bottled water or pet food. **

Thank you for your continued support. We love being a part of this amazing and generous community!

Alberto Martínez - Austin American-Statesman

One of CAFB’s 350 Partner Agencies, Hays County Food Bank, has seen a 22% increase in clientele according to this story in today’s Austin American-Statesman. The food bank reports that it’s the new demographic of clientele that is causing the shift – middle class, first-timers.

This emergency need for food is unlike responding to an acute disaster like floods, or hurricanes. Economic hardship often requires upwards of three months or more for families to get back on track. According to a 2007 survey prepared for the USDA’s Economic Research Service, 30% of pantry users visit the pantry one to three times a year; suggesting new, sporadic or short-term need for emergency food assistance. 40% visit 10 to 12 times a year.

Please keep those donations coming to CAFB and consider a recurring gift, or donate online to our friends at the Hays County Food Bank. Recovering from hardship may take some time.