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In the U.S. there are 6,500 food deserts, which are areas where people can't easily access fresh produce. To help fight this problem, Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi, owners of Nixta Taquería in East Austin, Texas, became the pilot location of the Austin Free Fridge Program. The husband-and-wife duo would replenish an industrial fridge in their area up to 20 times a day with fresh meals and groceries, as “hydration packs” during heatwaves. And just as they supported the most vulnerable members of the community, the taquería was showered with love and support when they needed it most.
Since opening in 2019, Nixta Taquería have experienced their fair share of ups and downs. They weathered the pandemic by offering curbside delivery, and became a community hot spot with the addition of their Free Fridge. Rico and Mardanbigi even inspired the opening of more fridges and pantries around the area, all of which take donations from locals in the spirit of mutual aid.
However, there comes a day when the helpers are the ones who need some assistance. In August 2023, the taquería owners took to Instagram to share some concerning news. “Last week, power was disconnected from the majority of our building. We thought it was going to be an easy-ish fix, but it has now escalated to a place we could have never imagined,” they wrote. “Something that can be fixed in a matter of hours is now a 3-6 month project due to some classic bureaucracy and red-tape. We’re still reeling.”
While the restaurant was a concern, there was also a whole community that depended on them too. As Rico and Mardanbigi were figuring out how to keep going, they launched a GoFundMe so they could continue to host non-perishables in their pantry. In return, those around them stepped up and helped the taquería raise over $100,000. One of their donors named Dan Reade, wrote, “Y'all fed us when we were frozen. You figured out how to make curbside happen when people were sick. You feed the community with the fridge and pantry. You lift other area chefs up and help grow other businesses along the way. It's the least that we could do when y'all already do so much. THANK YOU!”
The process of getting their taquería back on its feet continues for Rico and Mardanbigi, but everything is looking promising. “After 3 months, an army of engineers, and a litany of other things, our plan review was accepted by the city,” they wrote. On top of reopening their Free Fridge, they celebrated the success of their fundraiser with a free taco party. “We are now able to start the actual work/construction—this is the next step in the journey of fully re-opening.”
One thing's for certain—those who have helped by them will be looking forward to seeing the restaurant shine again.
Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi, owners of Nixta Taquería in East Austin, Texas, became the pilot location of the new Austin Free Fridge Program.
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Living in a food desert, the husband-and-wife duo would replenish it up to 20 times a day with fresh meals and groceries, as ‘hydration packs’ during heatwaves.
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But from time to time, the helpers are the ones who need help. “Last week, power was disconnected from the majority of our building,” they shared.
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To help them, a GoFundMe campaign was launched, raising a $100,000, including donations from people who had benefitted from their Free Fridge initiative.
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Nixta Taquería: Website | Instagram
Free Food Project: Website | Instagram
h/t: [Good News Network]
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