Building Connections Through Food Distribution in Central Texas

Central Texas Food Bank’s (CTFB) Community Distribution Coordinator Evelyn Housson sees food distribution as more than getting food from a truck into a neighbor’s car. It’s an opportunity to strengthen the communities we serve, by bringing neighbors, volunteers and team members together to care for one another.

That commitment to community is part of why Evelyn was recently recognized as CTFB’s Team Member of the Month.

Where food meets community

On distribution days, Evelyn and her fellow coordinators turn parking lots and other community spaces into places where hundreds of families can access nutritious food.

Behind each distribution is coordination across CTFB teams (from Transportation and Warehouse to Volunteer Engagement) along with plenty of flexibility when plans inevitably change due to weather, food packaging, etc.

For Evelyn, the people are what make the work meaningful.

“Talking with my volunteers, talking with neighbors. When we start seeing the same people come back, either neighbors or volunteers, and you build that rapport and you build that relationship, it really feels like a community event that happens.”

Sometimes, the line between neighbor and volunteer disappears altogether. Evelyn has watched neighbors arrive to receive food, then step out of their cars, put on gloves and help distribute it. Some pick up food for other households while also returning month after month to volunteer.

“Giving what you have is a lesson that I see repeated every day in this job.”

Creating a welcoming place

Because Evelyn interacts directly with so many neighbors, she knows that how people experience a distribution matters just as much as how efficiently it operates.

Many people utilizing CTFB resources are navigating an unexpected crisis or challenging circumstances. Evelyn approaches each interaction with that in mind: protecting privacy, avoiding assumptions, and creating an environment where asking for help is free of judgment.

“I'm always smiling and joking around with our neighbors to make it feel like a positive community event.”

That approach reflects something Evelyn believes deeply: strong communities take care of their own.

“I think the best thing that a community can do is serve itself and that a project or an idea or something that wants to be sustainable is best. You have the best chance to keep it sustainable, to keep it going in the future, when it's built by the community for the community.”

A full-circle connection

Evelyn’s perspective on community building began long before she joined CTFB. She grew up watching family members work in civil service and learned from her grandfather and aunt what it meant to “step up and stand up and be involved in your community.” Later, as a Peace Corps volunteer working alongside farmers in Panama, she saw firsthand the connections among food, culture, identity, and community.

Today, her experience has come full circle.

“When it gets challenging, I think about the community building aspect of this,” Evelyn said. “And this is my home.”

Here, she’s serving the community where she has her own roots.

“I really love that what this state, this community gave to me. I'm able to push it right back out.”

For Evelyn, that cycle is at the heart of the work: food nourishing people, people strengthening communities, and strong communities finding ways to give back.

Or, as she puts it, it’s all part of the same chain: “food to body to community.”

We’re Here When You Need Us

Strong communities take care of one another. If you or someone you know needs food, use our Find Food Now tool to find an upcoming distribution or food assistance near you.