Get Involved: Free Lunch Austin
A collective of creatives serve food to Austin’s homeless population
Words by Tejal Thakkar Photos by Jade Hammer
The team at Free Lunch Austin believe that doing something right now to help is always possible. And what initially started as Jazz Mills’ desire to “just do something about all of the problems she saw every day in Austin,” has evolved from a fledgling idea into the established entity known today as Free Lunch Austin.
As an event producer who now serves as Director of Operations, Jazz suddenly had a lot of time on her hands when COVID hit. So she, along with her friend Carrie Bickley, decided to start selling rice krispie treats and use the profits to cook meals for her unhoused neighbors. This quickly evolved into an organized effort, helped along by volunteers who would aid with deliveries. However, when Jazz and her team learned of Camp Esperanza, a homeless community living at the intersection of Highway 183 and 71 East, they knew they had to get involved. Now, Free Lunch exclusively supports this community through a daily meal.
As the organization evolved, a turning point was when Jazz and Carrie “decided to publish a magazine to create educational content about the camp to help get people involved.” The magazine has become a creative outlet as well as an opportunity for “people who were stuck at home to get involved in the community,” according to Jazz. She asserts that Free Lunch is steadfast in their goal to “provide constant support for this specific camp,” rather than claiming to solve the massive housing crisis in Austin.
To get involved, start by signing up for the magazine subscription which has recipes, tips, photos, and information about the camp. The monthly $10 subscription is “the most helpful thing people can do for [Free Lunch] because it creates a reliable source of funding” which allows them to spend more time helping the community. Jazz urges people to imbibe the Free Lunch philosophy into their daily lives. She emphasizes Austin homeless communities “are in need of help, so if you’re capable of helping, please do so.”
Contact:
freelunch.atx@gmail.com
freelunchatx.com
Camp Esperanza
780 Bastrop Hwy.
