Get Involved

Serafina Pantry would not be here today if it weren’t for our amazing volunteers and donors! Please fill out this brief form if you would like to volunteer or otherwise contribute to Serafina Pantry.

For questions or other inquiries, contact Nutrition & Wellness Manager, Aly Tharp.

Our History

Serafina Pantry was founded by Farah M. Rivera-Ortiz (1962-2022). Farah was a renowned photojournalist from San Juan, Puerto Rico, working with the San Juan Star for many years. She relocated to Austin for medical treatment and moved into RBJ Residences in 2003.  

Farah M. Rivera-Ortiz was extremely active in the community. In addition to founding Serafina Pantry in 2013, she served on the RBJ Senior Housing Board of Directors, Festival Beach Community Garden Steering Committee, and the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Committee. Farah was posthumously awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Mexican American Cultural Center in 2022, in recognition for the innumerable ways that she uplifted those around her. 

Serafina Pantry was originally called the Hope Pantry in its early iterations. Rivera-Ortiz changed the name when establishing the pantry as a 501c3 organization – Serafina was the name of her grandmother who raised her as a child. 

Many RBJ residents have been involved as core volunteers in the pantry over the years. Founding pantry leaders who have since passed away include Rusty Roan, Regina Ritcherson Mitchell, and Freddie “Tootsie” Garner (1938-2025). Thanks to the vision and leadership of these founders, Serafina Pantry continues to be an impactful community-led service organization to this day, with neighbors helping neighbors to access essential food and household items. 

Food donations are received weekly from Trader Joe’s, and the pantry recently became a full partner agency of the Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB). Additionally, the pantry maintains a strong and mutually supportive relationship with the adjacent Festival Beach Community Garden and Food Forest which donates fresh produce and flowers and provides free programming to residents.

Hours

Monday: 8am – 12pm
Wednesday: 8am – 10am
Friday: 11:30am – 3pm

Proud Partner Agency