East Austin Community Center Provides Help Amid SNAP Benefit Shutdown
By Emily Trevino
Reporting Texas
The front of the Pat Mustoe Baptist Community Center in East Austin on Friday, November 1st 2025. Emily Trevino/Reporting Texas
The supplemental nutritional assistance program (SNAP) was officially cut off on Nov. 1 after a 35 day government shutdown. Now, over 140,000 central Texans are searching for ways to provide for themselves and are relying on resources to help.
In East Austin, the Baptist Community Center Mission is providing multiple ways for residents struggling with food insecurity to receive that help. “We’ve been out talking to people about food drives, about food donations, cash donations so we can go out and buy more food if we need to,” Executive Director Chris King said, “We had to kick into action real quick.”
The center has provided for Austin since 1935 through three main food programs. Their food pantry, a weekend backpack feeding program that feeds 240 kids, and a clothes closet. They also provide financial assistance and host multiple donation drives throughout the year.
Food line laid out at 8 A.M on Friday November 1st. Photo by Chris King
Amid the food, clothing, and cash donations, the center provides a food line every Friday morning from 8 A.M. to noon. People who are registered can come, sign in, and grocery shop for themselves and their family in an environment that treats them like family.
“These people are genuine and authentic about the work that they do for the community and the relationships they build,” Intake Specialist Joseph Houston said, “I think that’s the most important thing at the end of the day.”
The pantry provides canned food and products, produce, bread and even household essentials like toilet paper and cleaning supplies.
“We’ve seen our Friday morning numbers grow from about 80 families to this morning we had about 108 families in 3 hours,” King said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen with SNAP benefits and we’re starting to see a lot more.”
According to Texas Health and Human Services, over 3.5 million Texas residents were enrolled in the program in August 2025. Over 86,000 of those residents are eligible in Travis county and are now struggling to know where their next meal is coming from.
King said he was shocked when he heard SNAP was going to be cut off. “Instantly my mind went to how are we going to serve more people, where can we access more food to help more families?”
The center’s mission revolves around one word, service. BCCC aims to build stronger and healthier communities through their aid. Austenites sign up for an intake appointment, get paired with a volunteer, decide what type of assistance they need, and go from there.
Rulings by judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ordered the US Department of Agriculture to use $5.25 billion from contingency funds. Those partial payments are expected to roll out sometime in November after the Trump administration agreed to comply with the order but no date has been set.
Until then, Central Texans who are struggling are encouraged to seek resources like the Baptist Community Center. King also strongly encourages volunteers to get involved with the center as the holiday season is approaching and food drives are more important than ever. Visit their website here to see a list of their upcoming events and learn how to get involved.
Here is a list of other resources: