Communities In Schools of Central Texas is throwing a milestone party for its biggest fundraiser, and this one comes with 18 restaurants, a live auction, and three decades of history behind it. Food for Thought turns 30 on Thursday, Oct. 29, with doors opening at 6 p.m. at ACL Live at the Moody Theater, located at 310 W. Willie Nelson Blvd. in downtown Austin.
This year's theme, “Recipes for the Future,” frames an evening organizers describe as a celebration of the nonprofit's impact and an opportunity for central Texans to invest in the next generation, according to KEYE / CBS Austin. The event is presented by H-E-B and by Steve and Virginia Visser, and it will feature gourmet bites from 18 participating restaurants and culinary programs, plus a live auction benefiting students across Central Texas, per the same report.
Communities In Schools of Central Texas describes Food for Thought as Austin's premier tasting event and its signature fundraiser, one that brings together chefs, food lovers and community champions, according to the nonprofit's Food for Thought landing page. Proceeds are earmarked to fuel the organization's mission by providing students with critical support including mental health care, school supplies and basic needs, academic intervention, and college and career guidance, the page states.
Who's Cooking This Year
The roster of participating restaurants and culinary programs spans the city's food scene: Brodie's Worldwide, Casa Fina, Eberly, Hays High School Culinary Arts, Il Brutto, La Condesa, La Popular, Mama Betty's Tex Mex y Cantina, Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill, Parkside, Serenade, Sway Thai, Swift's Attic, True Texas BBQ, Tumble 22, Verdad True Modern Mexican, Verbena and Wu Chow are all slated to present dishes, according to the CBS Austin report. That lineup mixes established Austin institutions with a culinary arts program from Hays High School, reflecting the event's dual focus on food and education.
The evening also brings together local restaurants, live music, and community champions, as Austin CultureMap describes it. Tickets for Food for Thought are available through Communities In Schools of Central Texas, per the CBS Austin report.
A New Award for New Waterloo
For the first time, Communities In Schools of Central Texas will present its inaugural Culinary Community Impact Award, which recognizes hospitality businesses creating meaningful opportunities for local students and families. This year's recipient is New Waterloo, an Austin-based independent hospitality company, honored for community engagement and a longtime partnership with Communities In Schools, according to the KEYE report.
Grace Holland, chief development officer of Communities In Schools of Central Texas, said New Waterloo's generosity, community-minded leadership, and longstanding partnership with the organization reflect the very best of Austin's hospitality community. Holland added that New Waterloo's partnerships and efforts to bring people together strengthen the Central Texas community, per the same CBS Austin account.
Where the Money Goes
Ticket sales and live auction proceeds will support Communities In Schools programs, which work directly inside schools to help students overcome challenges that could interfere with their education. The organization places trained program managers on campuses who connect students and families with resources and support, according to the CBS Austin report.
Those programs can provide academic assistance, mental health services, college and career readiness help, family engagement, and support with basic needs, the report notes. The nonprofit says it supports students facing financial hardship, housing instability, or mental health concerns so they can remain in school and achieve their goals.
Food for Thought has a track record of translating a night of tastings into real dollars for Austin classrooms. The 24th annual event, held Sept. 25, 2019, at the same Moody Theater venue, raised $780,000 for Communities In Schools' dropout-prevention programs, according to records from the event's GiveSmart fundraising page. This year's 30th-anniversary edition arrives with a bigger restaurant lineup and a new award category, building on three decades of pairing Austin's food scene with its schools.
