Central Texas Food Bank assistance programs.
In partnership with pantries and non-profit organizations, the Central Texas Food Bank (which use to be known as the Capital Area Food Bank) coordinates services for struggling and low income families. They cover a number of counties and cities, including the city of Austin as well as the counties of Travis, Bastrop, Fayette, Bell, Blanco, Burnet, Lampassas, Caldwell, Coryell, Falls, Limestone, Williamson, Freestone, Gillespie, McLennan, Hays, Lee, Llano, Milam, San Saba, and Mills
The main resources available are below. While the Capital Area location does not directly distribute food, they can offer referrals. In addition, their Social Services Outreach Department can help people apply for benefits and public aid, as noted below.
There is a mobile food pantry in the region, and it can visit counties such as Williamson, Burnett, and Travis, among others. It offers Central Texans in need with basic staples, vegetables, fruits and frozen foods. At the pantry, people can also get help in applying for food stamps and other federal or state of Texas assistance programs.
The Feeding America location- Central Texas Food also runs the Fresh Food for Families, and this was established as a unique non-profit program that provides working poor and also low-income families with quality fruits, meats, vegetables, dairy items and other fresh foods. CAFB will provide this as a free service and it is available to help people save money on their monthly grocery bills.
Education is part of CHOICES as well as Cooking Matters, and the food bank set this up as a nutrition service that helps individuals and families make smart, healthy choices at mealtime. The workshops also help people eligible for food stamps, and CHOICES is free to residents. More on what is the Cooking Matters program.
HOPE - Healthy Options Program for the Elderly is focused on helping senior citizens in the central Texas area. Many elderly struggle to buy the groceries when they are faced with expensive medical bills or even rent payments, and HOPE allows them to obtain meals and groceries. Many neighborhood centers, pantries, churches, and other groups all work to together with Central Texas Food Bank to offer free meals, meats, pasts, bags of groceries, and other aid to the needy.
Children and students can receive assistance from Kids Café, and this will provide them with meals, support, and guidance after school or during a holiday break. It operates across Austin and other counties, such as Mills, Falls, and McLennan. Staff from CAFB focus on the needs of the youth.
Applications for benefits and social services
Staff from CAFB provide advice and consultations to families on public benefits, including but not limited to the following. Much of this is also offered in partnership with the Texas Health and Human Services. Clients can learn about Medicaid for adults or children, SNAP (food stamps), Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), TANF cash aid (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), and SSDI applications, among many others. Find more details on public assistance benefits in Texas.
Vouchers and EBT cards for buying groceries is available from SNAP food stamps, or the federal funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Public aid helps individuals and families afford a balanced diet and meet basic nutritional needs. For those that enroll, benefits are loaded each month the Lone Star Card, and they can use it to shop at grocery stores, some farmers markets, big box stores, convenience stores, and other locations. One key of this benefit is that citizenship is not necessarily required and, per Texas state law, an individual's immigration status may not disqualify the applicant from food stamps. More on EBT cards food stamps.
Medical bill assistance is part of what Medicaid can address, and this is jointly funded federal and state health care program. The Central Texas Food Bank of Texas can help people apply, but in general the program is for low income individuals to get the medical care they need at affordable prices.
There is assistance for children, families, pregnant women, older adults and disabled individuals. Another option is the Women’s Health Medicaid Program, which gives assistance to low-income women between 18 and 44. This can also give baby formula too. Medicaid is an entitlement program in Austin and nearby counties, which means eligible people (not including immigrants) are automatically covered.
Texas CHIP, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, provides medical coverage for children in families that have an income that is too high and they can’t qualify for Medicaid as noted above. So it can help more moderate income families in Bastrop, Williamson, and Travis counties, among other areas. It also addresses food, nutrition and vitamins for teenagers. Most people use this benefit in lieu of very expensive, private health insurance.
Cash assistance is part of TANF, or the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Government grants are used to help struggling families living below the poverty line pay the bills and acquire food. They also benefit from self-sufficiency through employment services, job preparation, affordable child care, protective services and other forms of cash assistance. Qualified families that enroll into TANF may receive a monthly cash grant through the Lone Star Card or a one-time cash assistance grant.
Contact information for Central Texas Food Bank resources
For referrals or applications to these benefits, the Central Texas Food is at 6500 Metropolis Dr, Austin, TX 78744. The main number is 1-855-684-2550.
|
