Central Texas Food Bank, Austin Pets Alive! team up for Thanksgiving food drive

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) and Austin Pets Alive! are teaming up once again for a drive-up food distribution ahead of Thanksgiving.

On Monday, crews will operate out of a mobile pantry site located at the Delco Activity Center in Austin to distribute turkeys, fresh produce and other essential grocery items.

“Hunger doesn’t take a holiday and neither do we,” Sari Vatske, President and CEO of the Central Texas Food Bank, said in a release. “Every turkey distributed represents the belief that no table should remain empty during the holidays.” 

The CTFB expects to serve around 750 households. Drivers can pull in, load up and head out — no questions asked.

Vatske said before the government shutdown in October, food insecurity was already on the rise in Central Texas. She said the numbers have hit a 10-year high, including during the pandemic.

“People were dipping into their savings. They were maxing out credit cards,” Vatske explained. “We are now serving over 610,000 food insecure individuals throughout 21 counties, and we’ve seen those numbers double over the past month or so as people recover from the shutdown and prepare for the holiday season.”

As of early Monday morning, drivers were already lining up outside of the Delco Center hours ahead of the distribution.

“It’s a help. A blessing for everyone for food to be given and not have to be bought. Prices are so high and some families can’t afford the things that they need,” Patricia Barnett, one of the first people to arrive at the distribution, said.

Austin Pets Alive! also plans to give out pet food to those in need.

The distribution is Monday, from 9-10:30 a.m. at the Delco Activity Center located at 4601 Pecan Brook Drive.