Volunteer Spotlight - Rosemary Simmons

8/1/25 - Rosemary loads donations from Wheatsville Food Co-Op into her car.

Rosemary Simmons has been involved in activist spaces for more than half her life. Rosemary began her activism organizing food giveaways as a teenager, checking that surplus food from grocery stores didn’t go to waste while members of her community simultaneously went hungry. Since then, she has also volunteered with the Inside Books Project and advocated for reproductive healthcare.

After nearly 20 years of rescuing food, Rosemary sees food access as a critical piece of her activism. “The hunger crisis in this country is absolutely unacceptable,” said Rosemary. “I’m very passionate about food rescue and making sure everyone’s fed. Having lived in food deserts myself, I know what it means to not have access to good quality food.”

Rosemary first heard about Keep Austin Fed through a friend involved in the organization. In December 2024, Rosemary officially joined as a volunteer. Since then, she has completed over 70 rescues with weekly pickups from Sprouts Farmers Market and Wheatsville Food Co-Op.

In addition to being able to combat food insecurity, Rosemary enjoys the convenience of finding and signing up for food rescues provided by Keep Austin Fed. She has also created relationships with Keep Austin Fed staff, volunteers, and community partners. “Everybody is super communicative, super friendly,” said Rosemary. “I’ve had a great time.”

Rosemary encourages anyone interested in volunteering with Keep Austin Fed to simply give the experience a chance. “Just try it out. If you’re unsure, just pick up one shift and see if you like it.” She also identifies food rescues as an outlet for anyone wanting to make an impact. “I used to be really angry at everything. And nothing changed,” said Rosemary. “I found that the best way to resist the structural forces that functionally oppress all of us in different intersectional ways is to build community and just take care of each other.”