ACF helps feed the hungry

Austin Christian Fellowship volunteers have helped assemble more than 20,000 food boxes for the Central Texas bank at the ACF site in River Place.
Austin Christian Fellowship staff and volunteers including Julie Apra have assembled over 20,400 food boxes for the Central Texas Food Bank since mid March.

By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Austin Christian Fellowship has teamed up to help the Central Texas Food Bank during the coronavirus pandemic to help feed people in need.

As of last week, ACF volunteers and staff have assembled over 20,400 food boxes on site at ACF in River Place. One box contains a week’s worth of food for one person.

“We’re thrilled to get to do it. We love serving, it’s just part of our DNA,” said Will Davis Jr., senior and founding pastor of ACF who has taken many shifts to assemble boxes.

“Our volunteers love coming up to the church and working really hard for a great cause,” Davis said. “It feels a whole lot better than just sitting around wondering how we’re going to fill our time.”

Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt signed a letter in mid March officially requesting the Central Texas Food Bank “to go above and beyond its regular scope of work to provide critical assistance” in response to her emergency declaration.

The food bank recognized the need to expand its operations in order to comply with the judge’s request.  

Austin Christian Fellowship was identified as “an appropriate location to serve as an extension of official operations,” according to Derrick Chubbs, president and CEO Central Texas Food Bank. 

ACF received its first truck load of food two days later on May 18. 

“We were given a special exemption by the Department of Health and Human Services to operate as an offsite assembly line for Central Texas Food Bank,” said Chris Landry, who leads the effort as the missions volunteer coordinator at ACF.

By April 30, there were 779 different shifts and more than 2,000 volunteer hours served. 

Keeping a clean environment is extremely important and two leaders monitor safety protocols for 13 volunteers during each shift.

Will Davis Jr., senior pastor, volunteers with others at ACF to help feed people in need.

“We evaluate every volunteer before they are cleared to volunteer. This includes a health screening and temperature taken every time they enter the building,” Landry said. “We sanitize all surfaces before, during and after our shifts.”

This effort had been going on Monday through Thursday over the past five weeks. Crews are able to assemble 840 boxes a day. This week due to inventory delays at the Central Texas Food Bank, ACF was asked to pause their operations Monday and Tuesday.

Chubbs has been thankful for ACF’s help with the use of its facilities “as we expand the Central Texas Food Bank’s critical response to this unprecedented situation.”

Davis adds that the church’s act of kindness is important in today’s times.

“A lot of people are wondering where God is right now. They’re wondering how he could allow something like this to happen,” Davis said. “We think it’s real important to show that the love of Jesus is very much alive and at work in the world in this difficult time. He’s caring for and loving one person at a time through acts of generosity like the ones were getting to do.”

Austin Christian Fellowship volunteers work to assemble food boxes for the Central Texas Food Bank. Photos by Candice Munoz
“We love serving,” said Will Davis Jr., senior pastor of Austin Christian Fellowship, who has taken many shifts to assemble food boxes for the Central Texas Food Bank. Chris Landry (left) leads the effort as the missions volunteer coordinator at ACF. “We were given a special exemption by the Department of Health and Human Services to operate as an off site assembly line for Central Texas Food Bank,” Landry said.
As of this week, ACF volunteers have worked some 780 shifts since mid March to help the Central Texas Food Bank.