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Texans Can Buy Restaurant Meals for Families-In-Need With New State Program

On-demand delivery service Favor deliver food from restaurants that have opted into the state program

by Nadia Chaudhury
The Texas Comfort Food Care Package meal from Cypress Grill
The Texas Comfort Food Care Package meal from Cypress Grill
Cypress Grill/Facebook
Nadia Chaudhury is the editor of Eater Austin covering food and pop culture, as well as a photographer, writer, and frequent panel moderator and podcast guest.
Part of COVID-19 and What It Means for Austin Restaurants

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a new program to help feed families in need and at-risk youth in the state during the novel coronavirus pandemic, as the unemployment number continues to grow throughout the country and businesses are closing. The Texas Comfort Food Care Package Program (CFCP) will allow Texans to purchase meals for those families and youths. Texas restaurants will volunteer to offer these meals on their menus.

In Austin, the state-run program includes places and meals like Almarah Mediterranean Cuisine with a whole roasted chicken tray with rice and salad, El Alma’s taco kit for six people, Lucy’s Fried Chicken’s fried chicken buckets and sides, and Cajun restaurant Cypress Grill’s gumbo and jambalaya package, among others. Interested restaurants can apply through the Texas Restaurant Association’s website.

People will be able to buy the CFCP meal, ranging from $50 to $100 with at least four servings, from the menu of participating restaurants. Those meals will then be delivered to people's’ homes through Austin-based on-demand delivery startup Favor.

The recipients of the meals will be determined by the Family and Youth Success Programs, a collection of nonprofit organization under the Department of Family and Protective Services.

A state rep clarified that the government isn’t funding the program — it’s being run on these donations from the public (through purchasing of the meals) and restaurants.

At this time, Texas restaurant dining rooms have been closed since Thursday, March 19, and the ban has been extended into Thursday, April 30. (In Austin, the dine-in service ban ends on Friday, May 1.) CFCP will last “as long as the public participates in this,” explained a rep for the governor, “and hopefully until at least these restaurants can open their doors for dining again.”

COVID-19 and What It Means for Austin Restaurants