Beginning in August of 2021, the city of Austin, Texas began receiving hundreds of Afghan evacuees—as did many communities across the United States. With our base of operations in Austin, Appetite for Humanity sprang into action in our hometown.
Our focus was simple but impactful: welcome these new members of our community with culturally specific groceries and kitchen equipment.
Why?
Because the ability to prepare, share, and enjoy familiar foods is essential to our sense of comfort, safety, and community.
But it’s easier said than done.
The Need
When refugees arrive in the U.S., they immediately want to figure out how to make the foods they know and love. Our new Afghan neighbors will be cooking the foods of their homeland almost every day, including baking their own bread.
We are helping them get started with a full pantry and the right equipment, so that they can have the sustenance and comfort of familiar foods as soon as they arrive.
The Effort
To help them get started, we have been
- Educating ourselves on culturally specific needs
- Hunting down the right equipment
- Shopping for important and familiar ingredients
Through the generosity of members of the local community and the precious time investment of many volunteers, we have supplied kitchen and food supplies to over 120 Afghan households in Austin.
How to Help
Anyone can help, and all are welcome to do so in any of 3 important ways:
- Spread the word!
- Volunteer your time. To do so, simply contact us and let us know your interest and availability.
- Donate funds. To do so, visit our Go Fund Me page.
Your donation will be used to purchase things like:
- Pressure cookers
- Large, heavy pots for cooking rice, etc.
- Steamer pots for Afghan dumplings (mantu, ashak)
- Food processors and spice grinders
- Mixing bowls
- Tea thermoses
- Electric kettles
- Serving platters and trays
- Basmati rice
- And more…
Nothing big or fancy. Just a grassroots effort to provide community and a warm, food-filled welcome.
Thank you for your support!