Construction of a new 9,200-square-foot facility for the Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry is steadily progressing.

Zooming in

During a Bastrop County Commissioners Court meeting July 28, Tresha Silva, executive director of BCEFP, provided officials with an update on some key milestones, including:
  • Completion of metal framing
  • Fire sprinkler system nearing completion
  • Second-floor exterior framing underway
  • Interior framing on both floors underway
  • Exterior sheathing underway
  • Mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems underway
“We remain on schedule with completion anticipated in October,” she said of the $7.5 million project. “Once we transition out of our current location on Fayette Street, crews will begin working and remodeling the space into our new Community Education Center.”

The outlook

All construction is expected to wrap up by December.


“But while the building continues to rise from the ground up, I wanted to take a moment to recognize that our work has never stopped,” Selva said.

As of July, BCEFP has provided 3,648 individuals with more than 259,000 pounds of food in 2025—figures that are nearing those set the previous two years.


“The need continues to grow, but so does our commitment and our capacity to meet it,” Selva said. “None of this would be possible without the incredible support of our community.”

That support, she emphasized, was evident when it came to fundraising for the new facility, as BCEFP has officially reached its capital campaign goal for the project thanks to a variety of donor sources, including:
  • Grants
  • Individual donations
  • Business partnerships
  • In-kind support
“Bastrop County played a key role in making this vision possible, as one of our very first donors,” Selva said. “The county's [American Rescue Plan Act] funding not only gave us a strong start, but it inspired others to step forward and invest in this project.”


Lend a hand

Area residents can still make monetary donations to BCEFP online, in person at their service center at 806 Fayette St., or by mail to P.O. Box 953, Bastrop, TX 78602.

Donations of nonperishable food items, cooking oil and hygiene items are needed, including:
  • Canned meats
  • Canned vegetables
  • Canned fruit
  • Corn bread mix
  • Juices
  • Assorted crackers
  • Rice
  • Peanut butter, jelly
  • Dry beans
  • Sugar
  • Cereal
  • Instant potatoes
  • Flour
  • Pasta and spaghetti sauces
  • Canned beans
  • Soups
  • Hygiene items
  • Tomato sauces
  • Cooking oil