Free Lunch
Austin Dames Supporting Women in Business Grant: $5,000
Created by event production expert Jazz Mills in response to the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Free Lunch combats food insecurity by preparing fresh, delicious, and wholesome meals for persons experiencing homelessness. By delivering meals in-person and maintaining consistent and caring relationships, Free Lunch volunteers respect the dignity of marginalized groups while encouraging the physical, psychological, and social benefits of eating healthful, freshly prepared meals.
Currently, Free Lunch primarily serves Esperanza Community, a state-sanctioned encampment near the Austin-Bergstrom Airport. The inventive model allows the group to eschew the mass-produced, shelf-stable meals often distributed by large relief organizations and provide freshly prepared food packaged in compostable boxes. The grant will help Free Lunch break ground on an edible garden that will be a renewable source of quality ingredients and allow Free Lunch to more broadly serve the houseless community.