Austin Independent School District Partners With Central Texas Food Bank To Open Six On-Campus Food Pantries

The Austin Chronicle reports that the new school district and food bank partnership has expanded the district’s Feeding Futures School Pantry program, turning elementary schools into weekly access points for free groceries. The new pantries are located at Barbara Jordan, Cook, Ortega, Padrón, Pérez, and Walnut Creek elementary schools, building on the pilot pantry that opened at Galindo Elementary. Families can access up to 10 days’ worth of food each week, including frozen protein, fresh produce, and pantry staples — and the pantries are open to all AISD families, not just those enrolled at the host campuses.

The Central Texas Food Bank notes that the goal is to reduce both logistical barriers and stigma by placing nutritious food inside schools that families already trust. All food, refrigeration, and shelving are provided by CTFB, creating a market-style experience rather than a traditional food line. At Pérez Elementary alone, the pantry served more than 300 people within its first two weeks, underscoring the immediate need. “There is no learning happening on empty bellies,” said Anurita Mittra, CTFB’s Vice President of Network Programs and Services, adding that when families are supported, students are better able to engage in the classroom. For KXAN, Tanya Nguyen reports that AISD Superintendent Matias Segura called the expansion a way to “meet families where they are,” noting that nearly one in five Travis County residents — including more than 61,000 children — experience food insecurity, a gap these school-based pantries are designed to help close.

Related: For CBS Austin, Bettie Cross reports that Austin ISD has unveiled the first fully modernized campus funded by the district’s voter-approved $2.4 billion bond package, marking a major milestone in the largest school investment in Central Texas history. Wooten Elementary’s $40 million rebuild replaces a 1955-era campus with safer, brighter, and more flexible learning spaces — the first of 17 AISD schools slated for full modernization as the bond rollout accelerates.

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