Calling all philanthropists, foodies and restaurants! 

Austin Restaurant Weeks is on a mission to fight hunger, and vendors can sign up to participate in the Central Texas Food Bank fundraiser that kicks off at the start of October.

Presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Delta Air Lines, Austin Restaurant Weeks has teamed up with Central Texas Food Bank for a food-filled fundraiser targeted at putting food on the tables of Central Texas families. The event launches on Oct 1 and runs through Oct 10, starting off the month strong to fight local hunger with the mission to “turn your table for two into a dinner for fifty.”

The Central Texas Food Bank, the largest hunger-relief charity in Central Texas, has been working to fight hunger for close to 40 years. The scale of the fight is larger than it ever has been, with more than 64 million pounds of food distributed in 2020. This is 12 million more pounds of food than the year prior. 

Before the pandemic, this charity helped on average 400,000 Central Texans. Now, because of the drastic effects of the pandemic on the community and economy, Feeding America estimates that 560,000 people in the Central Texas Food Bank’s service area are at risk of hunger.

Whether you are a foodie looking for local cuisine variety or a food and drink provider looking to engage positively with the community, there is a spot at the table (or on the table) for you.  Austin Restaurant Weeks and Central Texas Food Bank encourage restaurants, bars and breweries to sign up at www.austinrestaurantweeks.org to be a part of this week-long event, and the registration is now open. 

With fixed-price menus ranging from $20-$50, and specialty menu and drink items, foodies can enjoy lunch and dinner options as well as cocktails, beer and wine. You can check out the list of vendors here. Some of the local bites and sips include Austin Daily Press, Bar Peached, The Cavalier, Craft Pride, Gusto Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar, Intero, L’Oca d’Oro, Mandala Kitchen & Bar, The Peached Tortilla and Wicky’s Walkup. It is great food and drink for a great cause – all from local establishments.

Though the pandemic put Austin Restaurant Weeks on hold for the past year, the last pre-pandemic event was labeled a success – raising enough to provide 893,000 meals for Central Texans suffering from food insecurity. This year, the event coordinators are looking to beat their personal best and serve the community further, especially after the damage done by the pandemic.

The Central Texas Food Bank in collaboration with Austin Restaurant Weeks is working to feed fellow Texans and engage with the community – and you can get involved, too. 

Cover photo courtesy Austin Restaurant Weeks.

This article is a sponsored collaboration with Austin Restaurant Weeks and the Central Texas Food Bank