Food drive supports almost-empty Austin food pantry

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The neighborhood food pantry at the Terrace at Oak Springs is almost empty. At this rate, all supplies will be gone by January.

Stephen Blair has lived at the Terrace at Oak Springs in East Austin for almost three years.

The 50-unit apartment complex is a permanent supportive housing (PSH) complex for individuals experiencing homelessness in Travis County.

"I'd been homeless for about 15 years,” Blair said. “I prayed every day that I would get out of homelessness and eventually I got lucky."

The Terrace at Oak Springs has a food pantry that serves all of Integral Care’s PSH locations. When fully stocked, it is open to neighbors as well and has served over 1,000 folks in need this year alone.

"Once a week -- I go every Wednesday,” Blair said. “It really helps."

Inside, there's room for several shelfs full of soup, beans, frozen meat, household items and even pet food.

As the end of the year nears, shelves have emptied out.

Kristi Kaiser is Integral Care’s manager for supported housing services.

"Our current grant and partnership are set to expire January of this year,” she said.

Without funding from its $50,000 grant from Humana, all its supplies will run out by January. With this in mind, Integral Care has launched a food drive to restock the pantry.

"We are running this drive with the hopes of replenishing our pantry,” Kaiser said. “To feed our residents and our neighbors in the community."

"Every little bit helps you know,” Blair concluded. “Even it wasn't here like it had been before, I'd still find a way to survive."

There are two options for online and in-person donations for the food drive:

Online purchasing

1. Go to bit.ly/IntegralCarePantry
2. Select items to purchase
3. When asked to create an account with myregistry.com select “I don’t want to provide my info” 
4. Use your Amazon, Costco or H-E-B membership to purchase items for pick up or delivery (to sort by store, click 'All Gifts' and then choose your preferred store)
5. Check out with your preferred store and have items delivered to 3000 Oak Springs Dr., Austin, TX 78702 or you can drop off items during the following times:

• Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Fridays: Non-perishable only from 8 a.m. to noon 

In-person purchasing

1. Go to bit.ly/IntegralCarePantry and review the list of most needed items (please note, all donations are appreciated, but these are the most requested items from clients)
2. Purchase items at your favorite grocery store
3. Drop off items to 3000 Oak Springs Dr., Austin, TX 78702 during the following times:  

• Monday – Thursday: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Fridays: Non-perishable only from 8 a.m. to noon