Thanks to the recent renovation of the historic Parque Zaragoza pool house, a meadow was inadvertently established a large area was fenced off to protect two heritage Live Oak trees. Over the past year, friends of Parque Zaragoza have worked to turn the area into a wildflower meadow, following guidance from Austin Parks & Recreation. Our efforts were complicated last summer by an invasion of Amaranth and Johnson Grass, but we've made progress on removing those species. On It's My Parks Day we'd like to finish removing the colonies of invasives, seed the area with Inland Sea Oats and/or other native grasses and one or more species of wildflower, and cordon off the area with a simple stake and twine solution. The Amigos de Parque Zaragoza would execute a maintenance agreement with APR, and we would like to establish the boundaries of the meadow in conjunction with APR. In order of priority the IMPD project would include the following steps:

1. Define the boundaries of the meadow with stakes & twine

2. Remove Amaranth, Johnson Grass, and Hackberry saplings with techniques that minimize soil disruption

3. Seed the area with native grasses and wildflowers. Species would be selected in consultation with APR and APF.

4. Follow-on activity: install signage. We may need APR to provide one or more signs.

5. Follow-on activity: coordinate with the North District Grounds Crew to ensure the GIS coordinates of the meadow boundary points are documented for reference by mowing crews.  

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Our key opportunities include volunteering in our warehouse, lending a hand in the garden or kitchen, or helping at one of our mobile food pantry distribution sites.

Warehouse-  You'll inspect, clean, sort, box and make food donations ready for distribution to our Partner Agencies and the families they serve. Youth ages 8+ are welcome with adult (21+) supervision. 

Kitchen- The Food Bank facility includes a 4,200-square foot commercial production kitchen that supports on-site meal preparation for multiple programs. Youth ages 15+ are welcome with adult (21+) supervision. 

Garden- The Food Bank’s Garden serves as a replicable model of sustainable growing practices and teaches clients the importance of healthy eating and physical activity. Come help empower your community as you assist our gardener by planting seeds and seedlings, pulling weeds, shoveling compost, harvesting produce, and cultivating the garden beds! Youth ages 15+ are welcome with adult (21+) supervision. 

Mobile Food Pantry- Asking for help can be the hardest thing folks have to do. We rely on volunteers to ensure our mobile food pantries are welcoming, respectful places for clients to get the help they need. Distributions occur at sites across our 21-county service area, including Austin, Lexington, McLennan, Bartlett, Lott, Cedar Park, Mustang Ridge.

Volunteer to serve food and hospitality to refugee families (and a community of returning families) at Casa Marianella during a night of live music, food, fun, fellowship, and dancing.  This monthly event takes place every last Sunday of the month at 821 Gunter Street, Austin, TX, 78702. For questions about volunteering, contact info@casamarianella.org.

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El Buen strives to ensure access to healthcare, education & essential needs that lead to healthy, productive & secure lives. They have opportunities working at their food pantry, which offers emergency food assistance with nutritious food to families and individuals in Central Texas. 

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Prepare and serve lunch to people experiencing homelessness and in need of a quality meal.

Join the ACC Agricultural Sciences every Friday for a chance to address food insecurity and get involved with the Student Farm! The farm gate will be open from 9:00-12:00 for any interested individuals to stop by, tour the farm, and get their hands dirty with a variety of volunteer tasks. The only requirements to join each week is a valid ACC ID, proper sun protection, water, and a mindset of respect and safety at all times. 

Questions? Contact Matthew Olson, Sustainable Student Farm Manager (matthew.olson@austincc.edu). Follow them on Instagram (@acc.agricultural.sciences). Check the Green Team calendar for updates.

Learn more about the Spring Legislative Events and volunteer to help at a local polling place for the Saturday, May 3rd election by visiting the ACC Votes website. For questions, contact our ACC Director of Public Affairs, Elections and Voter Registration at sarah.fitzgerald@austincc.edu.

Ways to Get Involved:
There are a number of other ways to get involved with the Center for Government and Civic Service. Partnerships and events include the Austin Forum on Technology & Society; AI & Ecosystem Technology with the Austin LangChain Meetup.

You can also contact CGCS Director Bryan Port at bryan.port@austincc.edu or visit the CGCS Instagram page at @cgcs.acc for more information. To schedule the use of the Center for Government and Civic Service at Rio Grande Campus, visit the CGCS homepage and select the "Contact Us" option.

ACC is committed to becoming a leader in sustainability. That means using less energy and fewer resources while minimizing waste. ACC’s Office of Energy & Sustainability hosts sustainable initiatives designed to shrink the college’s ecological footprint and increase environmental awareness. 

There are a number of ways to get involved this May:

• Support rehabilitation efforts every Saturday at Simple Promise Farms

• Help out at Festival Food Beach during the monthly Second Saturday Workday on May 10th

For a full list of Office of Energy and Sustainability Earth Week volunteer opportunities, visit the Green Team calendar here!

Let's come together to help those in and around Kerr County impacted by the major flooding.

Chancellor's List of Support Initiatives
This list of local and national organizations looking for volunteer supporting, including the Hill Country Community Foundation, the Salvation Army (Kerrville Kroc Center), TEXSAR, Central Texas Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Central Texas Community Foundation - Wilco CARES, Texas Children's Hospital, Kerrville Pets Alive!, and the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter.

Austin Disaster Relief Network Phone Bank

The Austin Disaster Relief Network is also looking for phone volunteers. Volunteers need a phone, computer, and internet access.