The SAFE Alliance (SAFE), based in Austin, is a nonprofit dedicated to interrupting the cycle of abuse through prevention, advocacy, and comprehensive services that support survivors of child abuse, sexual assault, exploitation, and domestic violence.
For SAFE, housing is a method of violence prevention. On any given night, it provides shelter for 1,000 individuals. Without a safe place to go, survivors either continue experiencing violence at home or must face exposure to the dangers of living unhoused. SAFE offers housing services designed to meet survivors at every stage of their journey, from crisis to long-term stability.
The Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) plays an essential role in the recovery process, providing food to two pantries located within SAFE’s housing sites. There, residents can select food for themselves and their families.
As Kathleen Chambers, Supervisor of Pantry and Warehouse Basic Needs at SAFE, shares for many survivors, arriving at shelter comes after periods of instability, including food insecurity, or homelessness. Having immediate access to free, nourishing food can be life-changing in those first moments of crisis.
"They come in and first of all, they're grateful for the shelter, and then to get food and to know that they have choices of the food that they're getting. It actually means the world to them to know that we can serve them and help them in the time of that need,” she said.
The ability to choose food, especially fresh ingredients, helps restore a sense of control and comfort during a time of uncertainty.
“I look forward to onions, potatoes, and fresh vegetables,” said one SAFE client.
"It means a lot to them because it expands what they can feed themselves as well as their kids. So, we're literally giving them uncooked meat, so they get the experience of cooking their own food as well. It's not food that maybe somebody prepared and it's bland, or it's not what they like, or we're putting ingredients in it that they don't normally eat on a regular basis."
A Partnership That Makes a Difference
For more than a decade, CTFB and SAFE Alliance have worked together to support survivors across Central Texas. Each week, SAFE staff place orders through CTFB to stock their pantry with items they know their clients will appreciate and use.
"My God, it means everything to partner with y'all because y'all are like one of our main sources of food that we get brought in. And I look forward to it. I do the ordering with one of my other coworkers. And it's like the highlight of my life to look on that shopping list and to pick stuff that we know that our clients like that we can pass on to our clients. And without y'all, I think [they’d] probably be eating sandwiches every day."
This collaboration helps ensure that individuals and families in crisis have access to fresh, nutritious food — supporting both their immediate needs and long-term recovery.
The Impact of Care and Compassion
The impact of this work reflects the importance of showing up for people in their most difficult moments and reminding them that they are not alone.
"We've had people, you know, just give us a hug and thank us, in some of their words, you know, help saving their lives,” said Kathleen. “And they're real appreciative of some of the smallest, simplest things that we take for granted. It means the world to them because they were looking at a road to no end. And then here we are, you know, we were that light at the end of that tunnel."
Making Tomorrow Possible
During Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month, we reflect on the importance of nutrition in the healing process for survivors and thank our partners for the opportunity to collaborate to make tomorrow possible in the worst of situations.
If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, please explore the SAFE Alliance for information on safety planning and support that fits your needs.
