Central Texas Food Bank: How to Find Free Food and Get SNAP Help

What the Central Texas Food Bank does

The Central Texas Food Bank was founded in 1981 and is a member of the Feeding America network and Feeding Texas, the statewide association of Texas food banks. It works like a regional wholesaler for hunger relief. It collects donated food, buys and rescues fresh produce, and sends groceries out to a network of community partners across its 21-county service area, which stretches from Austin to communities like Waco and Killeen.

The need is large. CTFB estimates that more than 593,000 Central Texans experience hunger, including about 1 in 5 adults, 1 in 6 children, and 1 in 5 older adults. To reach them, it lists more than 450 places to access food and works with roughly 250 nonprofit partners, such as food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters.

Beyond groceries, CTFB runs a benefits enrollment team, children's and senior programs, disaster food response, nutrition classes, and free workforce training in culinary arts and warehouse operations.

Finding food near you

The quickest way to find food is CTFB's Find Food Now tool. Enter your ZIP code to see nearby partner pantries, mobile distributions, and other food resources, with days, times, and program details.

1. Search by ZIP code. Try your home ZIP and your work ZIP, since a pantry near your job may fit your schedule better.
2. Read the listing. Each location shows its own hours, eligibility, and whether food is prepacked or "market style," where you choose items.
3. Call ahead. CTFB recommends calling the pantry to verify, because hours and supplies can change, especially around holidays and bad weather.
4. Use 211 as a backup. 2-1-1 Texas is a free statewide referral line. Dial 211 and ask for food pantries open today near you.

We do not list individual pantry hours on this page because they change often. The Find Food Now listing and a phone call to the pantry are the most reliable sources.

What you may be asked to bring

CTFB says you will never be asked to pay for food, and that it will help connect you with food no matter what information you can or choose to share. What you are asked for depends on the program and location:

• CTFB mobile pantry distributions do not require registration or ID.
• Many food distributions do not require proof of income.
• Some partner pantries ask for basic household information or a short intake form.
• Some programs, such as those using federal TEFAP food, may ask about household size, income, or where you live. If you choose not to answer, you may still get other food without those rules.
• Citizenship or immigration status is not required to receive food assistance.

It still helps to carry a photo ID if you have one, a piece of mail with your address, and the number of people in your home. Bring sturdy bags or a box. CTFB also says you have the right to be treated with dignity and without judgment; if you believe your rights were violated, you can call CTFB at 512-282-2111.

Mobile pantries versus partner pantries

CTFB uses two main ways to get food to people, and they work differently.

Mobile food pantries

A mobile food pantry is a scheduled distribution that brings fresh produce, pantry staples, and other groceries straight into a neighborhood or small town. According to CTFB's food distribution page, you do not need to register or make an appointment, and the food is free. Upcoming stops appear in Find Food Now. Our guide to the mobile food pantry explains how these events usually run.

Partner pantries

A partner pantry is a church, community center, school, or nonprofit with a permanent location and its own hours. Some take walk-ins, some need appointments, and some ask you to check in on site. Partner pantries are the better choice if you need food between mobile stops or want to pick items yourself at a market-style pantry.

Free help applying for SNAP and other benefits

A pantry helps for a few days. SNAP helps every month. CTFB's Benefits and Emergency Services team helps with new and renewal applications for SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP, TANF, WIC, Healthy Texas Women, the Medicare Savings Program, and utility assistance. The help is free.

• Call the Help Line: 1-855-366-3401, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Book an appointment: in person or virtual, through the CTFB website.
• Apply yourself: Texas SNAP applications are online at Your Texas Benefits.

Documents for a SNAP application

CTFB lists these items to have ready when you apply:

• Proof of identity for everyone in the household
• Proof of income
• Two months of bank statements
• Immigration documents, for household members applying who are not U.S. citizens
• Rent or mortgage information
• Medical costs, dependent care costs, and child support payments

For a general list of papers agencies ask for, see our documents checklist. Federal SNAP rules set the income limits; for October 2026 through September 2027, a one-person household can generally have gross income up to $1,729 a month. Our Texas SNAP guide covers Texas-specific steps, and our SNAP calculator gives a rough estimate.

If you lose your Lone Star Card, CTFB says to call 1-800-777-7328 for a replacement. To report changes on an existing case, dial 211 or use Your Texas Benefits. If you are pregnant or have a child under 5, you can also apply for WIC at Texas WIC.

Programs for children, seniors, and military families

Older adults

CTFB's older adult programs include HOPE (Healthy Options Program for the Elderly) for people 60 and older. Each month, participants get a free 15- to 20-pound bag of shelf-stable groceries such as canned fruit and vegetables, canned protein, cereal, and pasta. You sign up at a HOPE distribution site, and you can name a proxy to pick up food if you cannot go yourself. Golden Harvest Market offers older adults fresh produce and groceries in a market-style setting.

Children and students

• Afterschool meals: free dinners and snacks at participating afterschool programs. Ask your child's school or community center.
• School pantries: on-site pantries at select Title I schools, providing about 30 meals per student each month.
• Summer meals: free breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for children 18 and younger at sites across the service area.
• College hunger: partnerships with campus food pantries. Check with your school's student services office.

Military families and veterans

Central Texas is home to Fort Hood. CTFB supplies mobile distributions and on-site pantry partnerships, including the Armed Services YMCA Killeen, which runs its Five Star Food Market in Harker Heights and downtown Killeen for eligible active-duty and veteran families.

After a disaster

During floods, storms, and other emergencies, CTFB sends emergency food through its mobile pantries and partner agencies across its 21 counties. Check Find Food Now or dial 211 for special distributions.

Food help options compared

Curious how food banks like this one are paid for? See are food banks government funded.

Volunteering and donating

If you are in a position to give back, CTFB relies on volunteers and donations.

• Volunteer: every volunteer, including children, needs a VolunteerHub account and a reserved spot before arriving. Shifts open up to a month ahead. CTFB's minimum ages are 8 for the warehouse, 12 for mobile pantries, and 15 for the kitchen or garden, and anyone under 18 must come with an adult 21 or older.
• Donate food: drop off at 6500 Metropolis Dr., Austin, TX 78744, using the parking lot entrance off Burleson Rd. CTFB accepts drop-offs Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the loading dock donation bin. For more than 1,500 pounds, contact the team to schedule a pickup.
• Virtual food drive or money: CTFB says these let it buy the items most needed and respond quickly in disasters.

Details are on the volunteer page and the donate food page.

Getting food this week

1. Search Find Food Now with your ZIP code, or dial 211.
2. Pick a mobile pantry if you want no paperwork, or a partner pantry if you need food on a different day.
3. Call the pantry to confirm hours and what to bring.
4. Call 1-855-366-3401 for free help applying for SNAP or renewing your benefits.
5. Ask about senior or children's programs if someone in your home qualifies.

Related guides

• Emergency food stamps
• Churches that help with food near me
• Thanksgiving food boxes
• Texas assistance programs

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information. Pantry hours, rules, and supplies are set by each location. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with the Central Texas Food Bank or any government agency.