Serving over 60,000 people every week across 21 counties, Central Texas Food Bank is a lifeline for…read morecountless families. Headquartered a short drive from downtown Austin, this hub of activity thrums with a whole different sort of energy. At any given time, a half dozen forklifts are buzzing through the immense maze of the warehouse, stacked from floor to ceiling with pantry staples, while semitrailers unload directly into the walk-in fridge and freezer, each bigger than the average gymnasium. You could easily get lost in the 135,000 square foot facility without a guide or a map. It's not all dry beans and pasta. Contrary to the common misconception, there's a selection of fresh produce here that could put a mid-tier grocery store to shame. In fact, over a quarter of the food items moving through this building are fresh fruit and vegetables. Much of that is rescued, prevented from going into landfills for petty reasons like blemishes, odd sizes, or simply oversupply. Over 28 million pounds of produce was saved from that fate, putting into the hands of those who need it most. They've truly though of everything, including wheel chair-accessible raised beds, examples of container gardens for those without yards, and a classic "pizza garden" to appeal to kids. It feels like such a rare and beautiful opportunity to connecting with nature, providing both education and inspiration to grow your own food, no matter the circumstances. Let's not overlook the commercial kitchen, preparing meals for the community while providing culinary training for job placement at the same time. It becomes a self-sustaining system, but only with the proper support. Volunteers are the heartbeat of the operation, sorting donations in the warehouse, distributing it through mobile pantries, delivering it to those without transportation, and more. There are plenty of hands on deck during the holidays, but there's a continuous need throughout the year. There's never a bad time to help, no matter how much or how little, because time is an incredibly precious resource too. The Central Texas Food Bank gives me a profound sense of hope. There's such unwarranted shame and stigma that remains surrounding the issue of hunger at large which is detrimental to absolutely everyone. Who wins when so many suffer? This operation is proof that it doesn't have to be that way. Anyone that needs help, gets help. With this revolutionary approach, it is possible to stop hunger in its tracks and nourish the community.

I always try to volunteer when I can. I decided to sign up and volunteer in the warehouse for…read moreCentral Texas Food Bank with my organization. It was well organized and fun. First, it was easy to sign up and register as a group. Secondly, they provided great details through email in preparation of the event regarding the dress code, parking and arrival time. In addition, the coaches were knowledgeable and provided us with an orientation before we began to ensure our safety and gave us guidance on the process. They were also friendly and funny. The event itself was relatively easy and not physically exhaustive. In 2.5 hours, we made a huge difference and sorted over 6K pounds of potatoes. We made a huge difference for the community in a short amount of time. I absolutely plan to return here and volunteer again.

Lovely little shop tucked away but filled with lots of beautiful treasures! It can be a bit hard to…read moremaneuver a cart when it's crowded but everyone is very friendly and pleasant. A tad dark inside but the store feels very welcoming. So many things to look at and choose from. Prices are very reasonable compared to the "big box" thrift stores. I had some luck with the jewelry section and some MCM vintage goodies. Not too close to my home but the trip was worth it. I plan to go again soon.

Honestly surprised nobody has left a review for this org yet…read more I love HCCM. Their Fresh Food Fridays have saved me and my husbands butt more than once when we are in a financial bind. Plus, some of the stuff they give out is some really high quality stuff! AND it reduces food waste. Total win-win. I love their thrift store. So many good finds and the prices are even better than other thrift stores I've visited around Austin. All the staff and volunteers I've been in direct contact with have been super nice. 2 thumbs up for this org, and thank you for brining some help/assistance to those of us in North Austin area. So many of these type of orgs operate in downtown Austin, so it's nice to have one close by.

I absolutely love how they are sharing their testimony to others and how it impacts the community…read more This is a great place to donate and spread the love of Jesus with. They have so many wonderful people reaching out to the community and love that they take donations as well. Their hearts are in the right place and I'm blessed to be apart of this wonderful community!

I volunteered there for 3 straight months daily at the front desk. The staff was amazing. There is…read moregood work done there, but Agnes is the biggest fake there is. It's amazing how you can start a charitable foundation and treat people the way she does. People would walk in and want to see her with $25,000 checks. I was told she could not be bothered. I think since I left out of the group I worked with there are possibly 3 out of 12 remaining of the team? She treated her paid staff horribly, you would have thought she could at least pretend to be nice, but once the prayer is over so is the nice. Great volunteers. Toxic founder. Oh, and if her car was dirty and the paid help couldn't get it cleaned up, she just grabbed another car from the lot. Charity founders do draw a paycheck as their friends and family members do also. So think of that the next time you donate somewhere.

Love! Love ! Love! Signed up to volunteer and will be doing it again. The staff is so helpful and…read morewalk you through everything to make sure everything is packaged correctly and that expired or opened food is not being distributed.

Went here to volunteer as part of an Yelp event. This organization is wonderful and they are doing…read moresuch great work. Everyone we interacted with was kind and helpful. Our shift was to sort through the donations and box them in the appropriate categories. I would encourage more people to volunteer their time here and help feed our neighbors.

This organization helps pet owners with food so in tough times they don't have to surrender their…read morebeloved pets due to inability to purchase food and other items for periods of time. They will take donations for auction and checks to purchase food.

What a gem in Georgetown!!! Love this for keeping used items with life left in them out of the…read morelandfills! They are an amazing community resource! Keep up the great work! I always feel welcome when I visit. There is a store for resale and a room with used items for free. Plus an outside overflow area! I love this group! Thank you for setting up this resource for Williamson County!!!

They are amazing!!! Help without a lot of hoops to jump though, very kind. Would recommend them to…read moreanyone who needs emergency assistance!!!!!

It was a great time volunteering with my work peeps! I highly recommend doing this with friends,…read morefamily, or teammates. It was well organized and their facility is well maintained. The staff there is excited about what they do and they kept us motivated through the boxing.

I dragged the family to volunteer for the first time at NB food bank. We spent 2hrs at the…read morewarehouse packing boxes upon boxes of goods for distribution. At the end of our shift, we were informed how many boxes we packed and how many families it will go to. It is a very humbling experience. This opportunity made such a big impact on the kids in our group that we have already scheduled our next appointment. The staff and volunteers are helpful, friendly, upbeat and are very welcoming. It is well run but they do need all the help they can get to cope with demand. So, donate and volunteer if able.

I am a mega fan of Lake Travis Crisis Ministries! They are a wonderful non-profit. LTCM offers food…read moreand necessities to ALL Lake Travis community residents - NO ID or other docs required! It doesn't matter who you are. If you're in need, LTCM is eager to provide assistance. Love, love, love it! [Note: they also offer some assistance with utilities, etc; however, paperwork and proof of residence is required.] They house a food bank stocked by donations, both nonperishable foods and monetary (you can send a check via mail if you want), purchased at a discounted rate from Central Texas Food Food (another GREAT ATX np!), and they receive meat and bread from HEB. Clap Clap! They are literally on my way back from the market I shop at, so I make an effort to buy extras to drop off to their wonderful staff members and volunteers (available Wednesday 5:30-7pm & Thursday 10am-noon). All toiletries and paper goods (e.g., TP, paper towels, etc.) are also always needed. I've experienced "wanting" a few times in my life and nobody should have to go through any anxiety or shame. The folks a at LTCM are truly very nice, and you can tell helping makes them happy. It does me too. :) Even though they've been around for over 20 years (maybe actually longer), I think a lot of people are unaware on them. I just want to shout it from the rooftops. IF YOU CAN, please help LTCM assist others who might be less fortunate. I could possibly be knocking on their door next month. You never know. Thank you LTCM.

I have this friend that is 70 yrs old and has just recently become a US citizen (much respect for…read morethat.....it is time consuming hard work to get it). She therefore has had no benefits from the government and the only income she gets is what she works hard to get with housekeeping and odd jobs. Did I mention that she's 70??? Her true blessings have come in the form of friends who help her out and in the Crisis Ministry. There's been many a time that she has had no food and has gone here for help. They provide her with all kinds of food. Staples like pasta and rice and meats and non-staples like cookies and olives and coffee. They even gave her a turkey a few weeks ago and she lived off that for days! But the best thing they give her is dignity. She is proud by nature and always is apologetic when she needs to use them but they always reassure her that they know she's going thru rough times and that they care for her. Thank God for people like this!!

The Hays County Food Bank is a non-profit organization that provides food to those in need in Hays…read moreCounty and surrounding communities that are served by the San Marcos Consolidated ISD and Hays Consolidated ISD. I'm writing this review not as a Food Bank patron, but as a donor. Everyone hears about the food drives at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and gives a can or two of food here and there, or gives $1 or $5 at the checkout stand, but most don't realize the desperate plight of the food banks. It's easy to appreciate the services the food banks provide to the unemployed, the elderly, and the disabled. But, what most don't realize is that there is a new parasitic drain on the food banks that's gnawing away at their resources. Without turning this into a social commentary or political rant, let's just say it's all about the low-cost retail sector. Corporate employers that refuse to pay a living wage actually provide new employees the address of the food bank and how to apply for assistance as though it were one of their company's employment benefits. The net effect of this is that food bank resources are being stretched incredibly thin to compensate for these abuses. What can the Hays County Food Bank do with your contributions? Well, for $20, they can provide a needy Hays County family with a Thanksgiving meal, including a frozen turkey and all the trimmings. Or they can help the Women's Shelter. Or they help stock the Crisis Bread Basket in Wimberley, which recently saw devastating floods. The list goes on and on. Many benefit from this one, simple, unadorned food bank. In Hays County, 24,000 people are defined as "food insecure". Food insecure means one lives in hunger or fears starvation. In plain-speak, it means you don't know where your next meal is coming from. In the San Marcos CISD, 71% of students qualify for school lunch programs. Texas ranks #2 for food insecurity for those under 18 and #4 for those over 50. Charity begins at home. While there are starving children and adults all over the world, let's not forget that they also exist right under our noses in America. Please give to your local food bank, and give generously. No one should have to worry about where their next meal will be coming from. Not at Thanksgiving. Not at Christmas. Not ever.

Donated many times over the years, from checks before Thanksgiving to organizing food drives at…read morework. I've always found people helpful whether they're helping me carry bags in from my car or dropping off informational pamphlets to share. They have lots of drives throughout the year and opportunities to help out so you can find what's best for you, and there's lots of online information about distribution if you know anyone who needs help.

After three years, I figured it was time for another review. I also decided to add several more…read morerecent photos. Since my last review, they have added a large paved parking lot next-door, where it used to be just gravel. Inside they have one of the largest used book/media sections you'll ever see in any thrift store. The stuff that gets donated here is usually better than what you would find at Goodwill, which means you're more likely to come across unique and valuable finds. You'll also find every imaginable knickknack under the sun here for office home and hardware use. In the back room, there's bicycles, electronics, and furniture. The front of the store is given over, almost entirely to clothing and shoes. Still my favorite thrift store to come to in Fredericksburg.

A tidy and well organized thrift store. It's easy to shop and find what you're looking for. Items…read moreare very reasonably priced and bargains are easy to find. They have an active Facebook page where they highlight larger items. I went to look at a chair they highlighted and a volunteer lowered the price to sweeten the pot since it had been there a few days already. I left with two chairs. . The volunteers are very nice and helpful. The best thrift store in Fredericksburg and a great cause!