When Baron Reedy talks about his work at the Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB), he comes back to one idea again and again: collaboration is how real progress happens.
“Everything we do has room for collaboration,” Baron says. “It really comes down to where you or your team might fit into that puzzle.”
Baron joined CTFB in March 2022 after completing his tenure with AmeriCorps and Communities in Schools. In that role, he worked closely with students and families and saw how often a lack of basic resources created barriers to stability and success.
“A big thing that I noticed was that a lot of the students and families I was working with didn’t have the foundational resources they needed,” he shares. “Food is such a foundationally important thing to being happy and healthy and getting out of the cycle of poverty.”
That understanding is what led Baron to pursue a career in food banking — and specifically to Central Texas Food Bank, the largest hunger relief organization serving Austin and 21 Central Texas counties.
“I enjoy our mission. I enjoy learning more about it,” Baron says. “I want to be in the food banking world. If there’s a new opportunity to learn about it, I’m happy to do it.”
Baron began his journey at Central Texas Food Bank as a Sort Coordinator, helping ensure donated food is inspected, sorted, and prepared for distribution to partner agencies and mobile pantry sites across Central Texas. He now serves as a Network Standards and Capacity Coordinator, working directly with our community partner pantry sites across our region. His role centers on understanding what partners need and helping them build the capacity to serve their communities more effectively.
“My job is really about asking, ‘What do the partner agencies need to succeed?’” Baron explains. “What can I do to help them in their mission and all of our shared interests and help feed the community?”
For Baron, that collaboration starts with empathy.
“The way I build relationships starts with empathy,” he says. “There’s no one-size-fits-all. There’s a lot of flexibility involved, and you have to meet folks where they’re at.”
That people-centered mindset extends to everyone Baron works with — partner agencies, volunteers, and fellow team members at CTFB.
“As someone who does a lot of people-centric work, I think it’s important to meet folks where they are,” he shares. “Whether you're looking at volunteers coming into the building, it might be their 100th time, it might be the first, or when you're talking about partner agencies, who are just getting started or have been doing this for 30 years. You kind of just have to meet folks where they're at.”
Baron’s commitment to service is deeply personal. After completing three years of national service through AmeriCorps, service has become a guiding value in his life and career.
“The CTFB value that feels most personal to me is service,” Baron says. “I feel like I've really carried that everywhere I go, and that’s why I’m here because I want to continue to serve our communities.”
During peak seasons and holiday surges, Baron says what matters most is simply showing up — being present, doing the work, and supporting partners however possible.
“During the holidays, during those hard pushes, what mattered to me the most was that we were there. We were in these roles. We were able to do what we could do. We show up and we get out the door what we can.”
Reflecting on the impact of his work, Baron points back to the communities CTFB serves across Central Texas.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is that our community is so hardworking and so deserving,” he says. “If we can help make their lives a little bit easier, that means something.”
Baron was nominated as Team Member of the Month for exemplifying CTFB’s core value of Collaboration — a value defined by partnership, shared strength, and a belief that everyone has a seat at the table. Through empathy, flexibility, and a genuine commitment to service, Baron brings that value to life every day.
“I hope the work we’re doing continues to make positive impacts in the community,” Baron says. “Especially with children.”
Thank you, Baron, for your dedication, your voice, and the collaborative spirit you bring to Central Texas Food Bank.
As CTFB continues to grow — including the upcoming opening of a new Waco facility in Spring 2026 — team members like Baron help ensure the organization remains responsive, collaborative, and deeply connected to the communities it serves.
CTFB is proud to be a place where individuals can build meaningful nonprofit careers, develop their skills, and contribute to lasting change across Central Texas.
Are you interested in building a career with us? Click here to explore current job openings in Austin and upcoming opportunities in Waco.
