For the fourth consecutive year, readers of The Austin Chronicle have named the Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) the Best Volunteer Experience in Austin.
We're honored by the recognition and share the award with the thousands of volunteers who show up every year to help make tomorrow possible for our Central Texas neighbors facing food insecurity.
What makes volunteering at the Central Texas Food Bank different?
After talking with volunteers, reviewing the feedback, and seeing people return week after week, the answer comes down to three things: the people, the flexibility, and the variety of opportunities available.
It's the People
Ask a volunteer why they keep coming back, and you'll hear a common answer:
"It's the people."
We hear that a lot.
The work matters, but the relationships built while volunteering often become just as meaningful. Volunteers work alongside community members who care deeply about helping others, creating an environment that feels welcoming, supportive, and genuinely fun.
For volunteer Teresa, that sense of connection has become one of the most rewarding parts of her experience. After retiring, Teresa began volunteering in CTFB’s Community Kitchen, helping prepare meals for children and families throughout Central Texas.
"We crank up the music, we have fun together, we laugh."
What started as a volunteer opportunity quickly became something more.
"I've volunteered a lot over the years, and I think [the kitchen] is really my favorite. It really has hit a soft spot with me, and I love what I do, and I love that I get the opportunity to do it."
For many volunteers, the experience is about more than giving back. It's about finding purpose, building friendships, and becoming part of a community working toward a common goal.
Our Volunteer Opportunities Fit YOUR Schedule
Life is busy. That's why flexibility matters.
Whether someone wants to volunteer once a year, once a month, or every week, there are opportunities available to fit different schedules and interests.
Volunteer Tracy says that flexibility is one of the reasons she continues to volunteer with CTFB.
"It's on my schedule. I don't have to be here at the same time every week, every month. It's flexible, it accommodates my schedule."
Many Austin-area volunteer opportunities require long-term commitments or fixed schedules. At the Central Texas Food Bank, volunteers can browse available shifts, choose opportunities that work for them, and sign up when they're available.
That flexibility makes it easier for students, working professionals, retirees, families, and community groups to get involved.
For Tracy, the hands-on experience is what makes volunteering especially meaningful.
"That's the most important thing. I mean, I've always been able to write a check, but being able to do something hands-on, get, you know, do something that you know will really, truly benefit."
We Have Lots of Variety
Not everyone wants the same volunteer experience. Some volunteers enjoy working outdoors. Others prefer behind-the-scenes support. Some want to interact directly with neighbors, while others enjoy preparing food or helping with logistics.
The Central Texas Food Bank offers a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout Central Texas, including:
Warehouse: Get a behind-the-scenes look at how nutritious food moves from donations to neighbors throughout Central Texas. Volunteers inspect, sort, clean, box, and prepare food for distribution while helping support safe and efficient operations.
Community Kitchen: Help prepare nutritious meals for children, older adults, and neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Volunteers work alongside CTFB’s culinary team to create meals that nourish the community with care and dignity.
Fresh Harvest Farm: Spend time outdoors helping grow fresh produce for neighbors experiencing food insecurity. Volunteers support planting, harvesting, weeding, composting, and seasonal farm projects.
Fresh Harvest Market: Support a welcoming, choice-based shopping experience for neighbors seeking food assistance. Volunteers help stock shelves, organize products, and maintain a positive environment for visitors.
Mobile Pantry: Help distribute nutritious food directly within communities throughout CTFB’s 21-county service area. Volunteers assist with setup, food distribution, neighbor support, and site breakdown.
Home Delivery: Support neighbors who face mobility or transportation barriers by helping pack, organize, and deliver food boxes directly to households.
Administrative: Provide behind-the-scenes support through projects such as data entry, outreach, event preparation, office organization, and program support.
Because there are so many ways to get involved, volunteers can choose experiences that align with their interests, skills, schedules, and physical abilities.
Thank You, Austin
Being named Austin's Best Volunteer Experience for the fourth year in a row is an incredible honor.
More importantly, it reflects the commitment of the volunteers who dedicate their time, energy, and compassion to helping neighbors throughout Central Texas.
Whether you've volunteered once, volunteered hundreds of times, or are considering your first shift, thank you for helping make this community stronger.
If you've never volunteered with the Central Texas Food Bank before, we'd love to welcome you at one of our upcoming shifts.
Ready to volunteer? Explore upcoming volunteer opportunities and find an option that fits your schedule.
