El Buen Samaritano - Food Pantry

Who Can Visit?

El Buen Samaritano's food pantry is open to families and individuals in Central Texas. No appointment is needed to pick up food. You're also welcome to pick up food on behalf of neighbors or family members who are homebound, have limited mobility, or don't have transportation.

Good to Know

The food pantry operates as a drive-thru, so you can come by vehicle or walk up to the gates. El Buen Samaritano partners with the Central Texas Food Bank to provide healthy and nutritious food. Through partnerships with the Austin Diaper Bank and Austin Animal Center, they're also able to offer diapers and pet food to clients.

Food & Essentials

The pantry offers nutritious food for families and individuals. Through their partnerships, they also provide diapers and pet food depending on availability.

How to Pick Up

The food pantry runs as a drive-thru. You can arrive by car or on foot. No appointment is necessary.

Food Pantry: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30 am to 10:30 am

Diaper Distribution: Every 3rd Wednesday of the month, 8:30 am to 10:00 am

If you have questions, you can call 512-439-8900 or email hello@elbuen.org.

Additional Support

El Buen Samaritano also hosts a free Mobile Food Pantry throughout the community in partnership with Austin Community College, Workforce Solutions Capital Area, and St. John's Episcopal Church. The mobile pantry provides emergency food assistance including nutritious shelf-stable foods and fresh produce. No appointment is needed. Check their calendar for the current mobile pantry schedule.

Beyond food, El Buen offers a wide range of services including health programs, adult education, youth education, and financial and rental assistance.

Ways to Give

There are several ways you can support El Buen Samaritano:

• Online donation: Make a gift at elbuen.networkforgood.com
• Monthly giving: Set up a recurring gift to provide steady support all year long
• Payroll giving: Talk to your HR department about scheduling automatic payroll deductions
• Matching gifts: Ask your employer if they match charitable donations to double or even triple your gift
• Stock and securities: Transfer appreciated stock to El Buen by emailing development@elbuen.org for account information
• Giving circle: Join Friends of El Buen Samaritano by giving at the $5,000 level or above

How to Join the Team?

Volunteers are a vital part of what makes El Buen Samaritano run. You can help prepare or distribute food at the drive-through pantry. Food pantry shifts are available Monday through Thursday in the morning.

To become a volunteer, you'll need to:

1. Complete the online application and consent to a background check
2. Participate in a new volunteer information session, including a job match interview
3. Attend Safeguarding God's Children and job-specific training

All in-person volunteer positions require COVID-19 vaccination and a semester-long commitment.

For group volunteer opportunities, email volunteer@elbuen.org. You can also apply online at elbuen.org/volunteer-application.