Austin ISD and the Austin Ed Fund, AISD's nonprofit public education foundation, reached a milestone in January worth celebrating: providing 1 million meals for caregivers since the program began in May. 
 
Following the initial closing of campuses because of COVID-19, AISD Food and Nutrition Service staff shifted meal distribution to provide student meals through curbside delivery. With contributions from the community to the AISD Crisis Support Fund, the Austin Ed Fund partnered with local restaurant vendors to extend this service to caregivers as well.  The caregiver meals are supported by the over 750 donations made to the Crisis Support Fund from generous Austinites, corporate and private foundation partners as well as significant support from the City of Austin.
 
Each Thursday, 48 sites across the city provide free four-day meal packs that include breakfast and lunch. The caregiver meals are prepared by local restaurants, which in turn helps them pay their staff living wages during the downturn. Restaurant partners include Henbit of Emmer and Rye, Easy Tiger, and a collaborative of restaurants through Good Work Austin, including L'Oca d'Oro, Colleen's Kitchen, Contigo, Rosedale Kitchen, Hillside Farmacy, and more. 
 
“The AISD Caregiver Meal program has been absolutely vital to the survival of our independently owned and operated neighborhood restaurant,” said Ashley Fric, Operator at Colleen’s Kitchen. “It's been a beacon of consistency and stability for the business and allowed us to recall staff members that would have remained on furlough due to lack of traditional restaurant business.”

Joe Carr, the general manager at Easy Tiger says that their business would not be operating without the Caregiver Meal Program.

“We cannot say enough about how much of a blessing this program has been for us,” Carr said. “This program has literally been the saving grace for us this year. Without it, I do not know if we would have made it out.”

Austin Public Health has amended the current agreement with the Austin Ed Fund to provide $3.9 million to support caregiver meals through September 2021. These funds will support the preparation of 780,000 more meals for caregivers to be distributed alongside student meals at AISD's curbside distribution sites.
 
Meals are free to anyone who can use them. For more information on caregiver meals and curbside distribution sites please visit www.austinisd.org/openforlearning/meals.