AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two community groups providing food and homelessness service are joining together to create and implement a food delivery program for the homeless.
The Central Texas Food Bank and The Other Ones Foundation have created Eating Apart Together, a coordinated food delivery designed for people experiencing homelessness.
“With social distancing, people aren’t sharing food or money out in the community or on street corners,” said David Gomez, program manager for Homeless Services at Integral Care. “Many of the food pantries have closed. And, for those with money, the stores they go to have limited supplies. Now more than ever, it’s important that we make sure our neighbors experiencing homelessness have enough food.”
The program started April 9 when the Central Texas Food Bank donated self-stable, easy-to-open food to the city, and Austin Convention Center staff packed 1,000 bags to be delivered to encampments outside the urban core.
The bags also contain health, hygiene and educational materials. The Other Ones Foundation led the deliver coordination.
“As we were out in the mobile hygiene clinic, we found that people were hungry and frustrated,” said Max Moscow, TOOF community engagement coordinator. “People needed more food and didn’t feel like they had a way to stay safe from COVID-19.”
The city has developed a contract to provide 1,000 refrigerated, ready-to-eat meals per day for homeless people in the urban core. The meals will bolster the supply served through existing programs at Central Presbyterian, Angel House, Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center and Mobile Loaves and Fishes.
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