The gist
The fundraising event brings in the largest amount of aid for the local food pantry each year. Kelly Manfredini, Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry director of marketing, said the goal for 2024 is to raise $32,000, which she said will allow the pantry to buy more than 213,000 pounds of food and provide over 25,000 meals.=
The details
Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased in-person the day of the event, or online ahead of time.
The Bastrop Convention & Exhibit Center will be filled with soups, stews and chilis made by local chefs. Attendees will be given a locally made, handcrafted ceramic soup bowl to keep and sample the food.
Raffles and a silent auction will also be available throughout the fundraiser.
Notable quote
"With the support of the community through events like this and donations, we can keep up with the rising demand for food in the county," Manfredini said.Current situation
Manfredini said the need to help fight food insecurity is more prevalent in Bastrop County now than ever before.
"We saw a 31% increase in requests for food and support services in 2023, and an 89% increase compared to 2020," Manfredini said, adding that the increased need has been even harder to meet as there has also been a decrease in the amount of food the pantry receives.
"Last year, we received 50% less food from the Central Texas Food Bank," Manfredini said. "This caused us to have to purchase 200% more food."
The Bastrop County Emergency Food Pantry has provided emergency food assistance, as well as education and support programs, to those in need since 1987.
Pantry officials also said more than 1 out of every 7 Bastrop County residents is living in poverty and facing both food insecurity and poor nutrition.
"We really pride ourselves on the fact that we focus on nutrition,” Silva told Community Impact. “We offer a lot of fresh [food] and essentials, like we have dairy, and a variety of proteins. We also have cooking tools and recipes that we can share with the community. So that real holistic approach to our work really impacts the family with nutrition support.”
The pantry provides several services, including:
- Emergency Assistance
- Educational Workshops
- Fresh Food for Families
- Open Arms
- Brown Bag
- Nibbles Backpack Program
To receive assistance, the recipient must be a resident of Bastrop County. After a brief intake session, the individual can take home the needed food.
Walk-in assistance is provided:
- Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
- 8-11:30 a.m., 1-3:30 p.m.
- First Thursday of each month from 4-7 p.m.
- Second, third and fourth Thursday of each month from 8-11:30 a.m., 1-3:30 p.m.
