Project Summary The activities proposed in this grant include building and installing six food stands around Austin, with the goal of increasing food access for Austin’s most vulnerable populations. Each stand will house dry/non-perishable goods, will be decorated by a local artist, and will feature information about important community services. We anticipate hundreds of community members will begin sharing through this tool and thousands will benefit annually. What is your organization’s mission, vision, and primary production history? Please identify your key constituencies and provide information about applicant’s service to them. For the purposes of this program, key constituencies that will be prioritized are community groups that are at immediate risk of cultural erasure and displacement within Austin and/or have been institutionally marginalized and under-funded by the City of Austin Cultural Arts Division. Mission, vision, and production history will be used to verify this answer.  My mission is to increase food access for vulnerable populations in creative and culturally responsive ways in Austin through mutual aid and direct-impact initiatives. I believe that one's personal station or circumstances in life should not bar them from access to healthy, delicious food and that they should be able to access that food in a dignified way. I believe that the Austin community is stronger when people of different backgrounds collaborate together. This project will bring together artists, Austinites with excess resources, and those in need of resources to address food insecurity.   I have worked with restaurants, bars and individual Austinites to create custom pieces that are both functional and visually attractive. Recently I collaborated with a local organization to convert a defunct vending machine into a free food pantry, and have worked to support other local free-fridges in Austin. Who holds power in your organization and how do they represent your community?  Your answer could include: Executive and creative leaders in your organization Board of Directors I am applying as an individual artist for the completion of the proposed project. I am fortunate to have an established network of creative advisors who have a passion for lifting up and empowering those in need of critical, core assistance. All grant activities – from the selection of sites to the design and installation – will be accomplished with input and help from people within our communities. I have lived in Texas for 28 years and in Austin for 10 years. In that time, I have worked for and volunteered with organizations serving survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, immigrants, youth in foster care, people experiencing homelessness, and have started my own business. I have rented in North and Central Austin and am now a homeowner in South Austin. I anticipate that this small project will inspire other leaders to find creative and respectful ways to improve outcomes for displaced and marginalized communities. ​ What are your proposed activities and how is your proposal relevant to the current social and cultural interests of your community? Your answer could address: Tourist accessible activities that you produce Description of proposed activities, participant(s), etc. Working in collaboration with the community Food access is becoming increasingly challenging for Austin’s most vulnerable populations. FeedingAmerica.org reports that 11.9% of Travis County residents are food insecure. In response, local organizations and businesses have begun sponsoring “free fridges,”  which are fridges placed in a high-traffic area where Austinites can donate and collect food for free. One of the most frequented, located in front of Nixta Taqueria on 12th Street, sees hundreds of patrons each week. While these fridges serve a vital role in feeding those in need, the upkeep can be cost prohibitive. Hosts must provide electricity, upkeep, and fridge maintenance. With such frequent use and intense heat, this can become a barrier to participation. The proposed activities included in this grant are building, installing and promoting six food stands throughout the Austin area. Each stand will be an approximately one and a half foot by one and a half foot pantry with a door standing at about four feet high (like an oversized, insulated mailbox) and will house dry/non-perishable goods.  Each stand will be painted by a local artist as well as feature a QR code linking to a webpage that maps all the free food and mutual aid stands in Austin, as well as information about other important community services. Once approved, I will put out an open call for artists in the Austin area on social media. If necessary, I will host a public poll to select the top six designs.  I will secure one or more temp administrators to identify sites to host the stands and promote the project. They will aim to place each stand in a different district of Austin. The admin will work with City Council members, local organizations, City departments, and others to identify sites and work with neighborhood leaders throughout the project. Site hosts will not be responsible for stocking the pantries and will not be required to assume any costs associated with the stands. ​ Does your proposal include specialized programming or accommodations for individuals with disabilities? These stands are designed so that anyone may access them - both to donate and collect dry goods. They are not locked, accessible 24 hours a day, and will be located adjacent to sidewalks or in other pedestrian-friendly locations. I, along with the temp administrator will work with hosts of existing free food stands and community partners to ensure we install each stand with maximum accessibility in mind. Does your proposal include specialized language access accommodations or programming for non-English speaking communities? The panel will consider how these options are represented in your budget. Accessibility accommodations that are “upon-request only” will not be considered a specialized service. Each stand will have a place to house information about community resources, as well as feature a QR code linking to a site with resources in the Austin area. All information will be provided in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. The budget includes funds for a local Mandarin Chinese translator, and I am fluent in Spanish and will be donating these services.  The information included in the QR code be a Linktree with information on other free food and mutual aid stands in Austin, as well as services relating to housing, violence prevention, substance abuse response, and other vital City services (911, 311, hotline numbers, etc). ​ How will the requested funding help you expand your programmatic reach and amplify Austin’s diverse arts and cultural sector? Your response could include: Marketing / Audience Development Information on how funding will directly support the diversity of the City's cultural/arts community The six food stands will be placed in six different Austin districts to ensure access for a diverse and wide-reaching population. Visitors (those donating and those collecting food) will be exposed to art, with each stand featuring a different local artist and their style. Often, artists are asked to provide public works for free and/or are expected to cover the costs of necessary supplies. Funding will allow for payment to each artist for their time as well as a stipend for materials. Upon completion of the project, I will publish a report including a materials list, challenges, successes, and guidance on how to replicate the project. The digital version of this report will be included in the linktree found by accessing the QR code on each stand.