10 Million Pounds of Food!

AUSTIN, Texas — August 31, 2026 — Keep Austin Fed, an Austin nonprofit dedicated to reducing hunger and helping the environment by connecting surplus food with neighbors in need, has reached a major milestone of rescuing and redistributing 10 million pounds of surplus food since the organization officially became a nonprofit in 2014.

The milestone represents more than two decades of work connecting local businesses with nonprofit and community organizations serving people experiencing food insecurity. Today, Keep Austin Fed works with a network of more than 100 community partners, and 125 food contributors - including restaurants, grocery stores, caterers, farms and other food service businesses.

“Ten million pounds is an incredible number, but what matters more is what that food represents,” said Lisa Barden, Executive Director of Keep Austin Fed. “It represents nearly 8.5 million meals from fresh produce, prepared meals, dairy, and protein that reached people in our community instead of going to waste. It represents thousands of volunteers showing up, businesses choosing to donate, and community organizations making sure that food reaches the people who need it.”

Keep Austin Fed’s core food rescue program relies on trained volunteers to collect surplus food from local businesses and quickly deliver it to community partners. The organization also operates recurring grocery giveaways, or “pop-up pantries,” that bring fresh, nutritious food directly into communities, particularly for people who face additional barriers to accessing traditional food assistance.

The organization’s work addresses two interconnected challenges of food insecurity and food waste. Food rescue helps provide nutritious food to people experiencing food insecurity while keeping edible food out of landfills, where decomposing food produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change.

“It’s hard to think of anything more important than putting food on the table,” said Jack H., the volunteer who rescued the 10 millionth pound of food on April 1st of this year. When asked how it felt to be the volunteer who could claim this milestone, Jack added “I appreciate [Keep Austin Fed] for giving me the opportunity to do something that’s really worthwhile and meaningful.”

“Food rescue is a remarkably simple idea with a powerful impact,” Barden said. “Good food should feed people, not landfills. Every pound we rescue is an opportunity to nourish our neighbors and reduce the environmental impact of food waste.”

This milestone also reflects the growth of Austin’s food rescue community. Keep Austin Fed now coordinates hundreds of food rescue runs each week, supported by a small dedicated staff, hundreds of volunteers, refrigerated transportation, and strategically located food rescue cooler hubs that help move perishable food safely and efficiently across the community.

As Austin and surrounding areas continue to face significant rates of food insecurity and increasing amounts of food waste, Keep Austin Fed remains focused on expanding partnerships with food donors and community organizations to ensure more surplus food can be rescued and shared.

“Reaching 10 million pounds gives us a moment to celebrate, but also reminds us of how much more there is to do,” Barden said. “We are grateful to every food donor, nonprofit partner, volunteer, funder, and community member who has helped us reach this milestone. Together, we can keep good food in our communities and out of the landfill.”