AUSTIN, Texas — As the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history drags on, SNAP benefits remain in limbo, affecting thousands of low-income Central Texans. However, efforts to keep the community fed aren’t slowing down, with people turning to community-run resources like ATX Free Fridge for help.
The mutual aid project network relies on community support to stock several refrigerators with groceries, produce and ready-to-eat meals, free for anyone to give or take from, no questions asked.
The volunteer-run project began in 2020 as a way to feed the public during the COVID-19 shutdown. Refrigerators stocked with canned goods, dairy items, sanitary items and even clothing sit outside local businesses and community spaces and serve a couple hundred people every day…