One of the longest running service projects of the Rotary Club of Austin Southwest is supporting and working at the free food pantry at El Buen Samaritano, an Episcopal mission in South Austin.
This food bank works in partnership with Central Texas Food Bank to provide nutritious food for qualified, eligible clients, many of whom live below the federal poverty line and/or live in food deserts. On certain days, once per week, diapers, wipes and formula are also available for clients with babies. El Buen partners with Austin Diaper Bank to provide these supplies.
Based on the fact that the Rotary Club of Austin-Southwest has chosen to help address food insecurity as a priority, the Club has provided volunteers at El Buen Samaritano food pantry for several years, with tasks ranging from boxing up food, delivering the food to client cars in the drive-through, directing traffic in the parking lot and unboxing donated food and shelving it. With help from friends in the community in South Austin, the Club assists in collecting paper grocery bags which El Buen can use instead of purchasing shopping bags for bagging the food. The Club has also partnered with El Buen Samaritano to address needs in the pantry through DAP grants and Club donated funds. The DAP grant provided by District 5870 to qualified applicant clubs has purchased items like kitchen equipment, rolling carts, shelving, ice chests for the mobile units and a much-needed shed, complete with a Rotary emblem, in the Community Gardens where clients can grow their own foods. Peace poles with Rotary emblems were donated by the Club and one was installed in the Community Garden and two have been placed in the client drive-through for food pick up.
This 4 Star charity Navigator rated non-profit is open year-round, almost every week of the year, supplying much needed food to approximately 300 client families per week. Yelp lists this free food pantry in the Top Ten Free Food Pantries in the Austin area.
This is WHY the Rotary Club of Austin-Southwest provides volunteers and DAP grant funds matched with Club money to support El Buen Samaritano. They live out our belief in “Service Above Self.”