Local Austin infill builders raised $10,000 to help pay off the lunch debts of Austin ISD students. This effort by the Austin Infill Coalition was spearheaded by Ed Ishmael—a local lawyer and developer who builds houses on Austin’s east side.
“While our members are already contributing to our city in various ways, we wanted to find a way, as a group, to give back to this City we all love and to the communities in which we build. Paying off student lunch debt seemed perfect for our first effort,” states Mr. Ishmael who formed the non-profit “Builders Care Austin” as a vehicle for philanthropy from the infill building community.
Austin ISD allows students to buy their lunches on credit. Austin ISD will be receiving the Builders Care check at a presentation Tuesday, May 8, at Blackshear Elementary, at 12:30 PM.
“We are so grateful to Builders Care Austin for their generosity and support of our students. This is huge,” said AISD’s Executive Director of Food Services and Warehouse Operations Anneliese Tanner. “We estimate this $10,000 will pay for 3,400 student lunches and reduce the districtwide student lunch debt considerably.”