On Jan. 13, officials with the Central Texas Food Bank, AISD and Austin Voices celebrated the opening of food pantries at Barbara Jordan, Cook, Ortega, Padrón, Pérez and Walnut Creek elementaries.
“Learning cannot happen on empty bellies,” said Anurita Mittra, vice president of network programs and services for Central Texas Food Bank. “We know that when children come from food insecure homes they bring a lot of baggage into the classroom. ... Having nutritional food available at home makes it easier for a child's brain to be developing and ready to learn.”
How it works
The Feeding Futures School Pantry program by Central Texas Food Bank allows families to receive up to 10 days worth of fresh produce, dairy, protein and pantry staples every week. The pantries are designed to provide a sense of agency and dignity for families who may choose which items they would like from an array of free offerings, said Erik Salinas, community school coordinator for Austin Voices, an education nonprofit that helped organize the food pantries.
The pantries are located in communities where a large number of students receive free or reduced-price meals and face barriers accessing nutritious food, according to Central Texas Food Bank information.
“We want to make sure that our schools are leveraged to the best of their ability to be community resources [and] community assets,” AISD Superintendent Matias Segura said in an interview with Community Impact.
The new food pantry has allowed Pérez Elementary in Southeast Austin to provide ongoing access to healthy meals, which is a significant need for the community, Pérez Elementary Principal Kara Mitchell-Santibanez said. Parents and staff members at Perez can visit the pantry on Tuesdays from 2:30-4:30 p.m., around the dismissal of the school day.
“We know that when our kids’ basic needs are met, they are more likely to be successful in the classroom, to meet their goals, [and] to realize their dreams,” Mitchell-Santibanez said. “This is an important step for families to be able to support those basic needs and have kids be at their best each day.”
The Pérez Elementary pantry served more than 300 people in the first two weeks of opening in December, according to Central Texas Food Bank information. Over 90 visitors lined up to visit the pantry on the first day it opened, Mitchell-Santibanez said.
Gabriela Salguero, a parent who works in the front office at Perez Elementary, said she has encouraged other parents to visit the pantry during difficult times as the cost of groceries rises.
“It's a great resource for all the parents and to know that it's available when it's needed is the best thing,” Salguero said.
Segura said the district is interested in expanding the food pantries to more campuses. The Central Texas Food Bank opened its first Feeding Futures pantry in AISD at Galindo Elementary in South Austin last year.
“We're adding them strategically where we have food deserts where we know there's a need,” Segura said.
Zooming out
With the addition of six new AISD pantries, the Central Texas Food Bank now has 15 Feeding Futures pantries across its 21-county service area.
In Travis County, 18% of residents experienced food insecurity in 2025, including more than 61,000 children, according to Central Texas Food Bank data.
Visit the Central Texas Food Bank’s website to volunteer with or donate to the organization.
