The Face of Hunger

Isn’t What You Think It Is

Words by Sam Lauron Photos Eric Morales

Food is a basic human need, yet so many people don’t know where their next meal is coming from. That’s where Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) steps in. As the largest hunger relief organization in Texas, CTFB is at the forefront of the fight to end hunger.

In a typical week, the Austin-based nonprofit distributes meals to nearly 50,000 Central Texans across 21 counties through food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and their own mobile distribution sites. Their mission is to provide food to those who don’t always have access, which, according to CTFB’s CEO & President Derrick Chubbs, is a growing number of people.

“The face of hunger isn’t what you think it is,” he states. In fact, the majority of people served by CTFB are from working households. They’re people who are “having to make the decision of whether or not they’re going to pay their utility bills or take their children to the doctor or buy food,” says Derrick. “And that’s the gap that we try to fill here at the food bank.”

Derrick, who has spent more than a decade of his career in the nonprofit world, joined CTFB in 2016. Prior to the food bank, he worked with American Red Cross for nine years, serving in various roles that eventually led him to overseeing operations for nine states. During this time, he realized that he longed for the direct impact that comes along with serving a smaller, more local community. “I started to miss why I shifted from the for-profit to the nonprofit sector altogether,” says Derrick, explaining further, “I missed being part of [Austin’s] growth and being part of the solution that was geared toward one given community.”

That solution-oriented mindset was recently put to the test during the unforeseen crisis brought on by the coronavirus. Faced with the community’s soaring demand for food as the pandemic began impacting jobs, schools, and health, CTFB immediately pivoted their operations. “It was like nothing any of us have ever seen in our lifetime,” Derrick recalls.

In order to meet the community’s quickly changing needs, the food bank shifted their efforts to preparing and supplying emergency food boxes for those affected. In the midst of the crisis, they hosted several mobile distribution days that saw thousands of people show up to retrieve one of the 28-pound food boxes which consisted of grocery staples.

While they normally rely heavily on volunteer efforts and can usually accommodate up to 120 volunteers per shift, CTFB had to decrease that number by 70 percent in order to maintain social distance and ensure the safety of everyone involved. Even so, Derrick notes that they wouldn’t have been able to do everything they did without the contributions they received from retail partners and volunteers, adding that the support is “reflective of what Austin’s community is like.”

No matter what is thrown at Derrick and the CTFB team, whether that’s an unprecedented crisis or managing large-scale operations, their commitment to providing hunger relief is unwavering.

“There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing that you’re making a difference,” Derrick beams. “That makes it a lot easier to get up in the morning, and I find that very exhilarating.”

Central Texas Food Bank by the Numbers

21 counties served
50,000 people served in a normal week
8,281 households served during special distributions in April
More than 345,000 individuals served in April during special and regular distributions
combined
300% increase in demand during pandemic
147 employees making it happen