Austin continues to pull the welcome mat from low-income families.

Jan06
 

credit:  KongScreen Printing credit: KongScreen Printing



A tongue-in-cheek joke about the influx of newcomers aside, Austin prides itself on being a friendly town.  But is Austin is welcoming, and to whom?

If you only looked at the Austin Chamber of Commerce news feed,  it appears that Austin’s arms are open to many, including people under 35, the technically savvy, job seekers and the eco-minded. With all of this opportunity, Austin should be one of the healthiest communities in America, yet long lines are the norm at Austin’s food pantries and soup kitchens.

On the indicators of social, health, educational and economic opportunities, Austin embraces its 840,000 residents selectively, leaving many working families, seniors and children out in the cold.  Repeated several times a week, every week, are scenes of Austinintes struggling to make ends meet, waiting in lines to receive food from our network of partners. Hidden in plain view are families turning to charities like ours for emergency food relief and help accessing federal food programs.

 


According to the Community Action Network, a partnership of government, nonprofit, private and faith-based organizations, Austin is heading in the wrong direction for meeting the most basic needs for survival.




200% of Poverty Percentage of individuals living below 200% of the Federal Poverty Threshold ($47,100 for a family of four).



Housing continues to strain the family budget, slowly dismantling long-established communities when their residents retreat to the suburbs or leave town in search of affordable homes.  Austin-American Statesman’s special report “Austin’s rising cost of living raises questions about who can live here” shares stories of Austin residents whose salaries are not keeping pace with the cost of living.

What this means for the fabric of our city is that the opportunity to participate in Austin’s growing good fortune greatly depends on where you live and how much money you have.  Our city is divided.


 You can check out the interactive version of the Opportunity Matters: Central Texas mapping tool here and download the full report here to learn more about the diversity and inequities within Austin.


We believe that families shouldn’t get squeezed out of Austin in tough times, and an “affordable Austin” is possible without squeezing the family food budget to the point of poor nutrition.  We can fix this.

With your support and your voice, we can ensure all our neighbors can afford food when they need it and grow a city that makes healthy food within physical and financial reach.

Join us.