New Austin Community Foundation grant strengthens basic needs network for students and families

Austin Community College District (ACC) expands support for student-parents with the launch of new Family Resource Corners. These corners will provide essential supplies such as diapers, wipes, and menstrual products to support students at the ACC Highland and Round Rock campuses.

Nearly one in three students at ACC are parents, and many face challenging choices between caring for their families and remaining enrolled in classes. According to a recent survey, 31% of students reported running out of money more than six times in the past year. 

“This partnership allows us to meet students where they are. We are supporting their education and their families at the same time,” says Cara Crowley, Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Basic Needs Systems. “When a parent can pick up diapers or period products on campus, that’s one less worry and one more reason to stay in school. These resources represent care, community, and the belief that every student deserves the opportunity to succeed.”

The initiative is made possible by a $20,000 unrestricted grant from the Austin Community Foundation’s 2025 Forever Austin Fund through the Austin Diaper Bank.

“No parent should have to choose between diapers and a degree,” says Kim Parker, executive director of Austin Diaper Bank. “By addressing diaper need among community college students, this partnership removes a barrier that too often stands in the way of success.”

The Family Resource Corners are part of ACC’s Basic Needs System, a growing network of programs that address food access, housing, mental health, and childcare. It will be integrated within the Riverbat Bites Food Pantries, which have been launched across all 11 ACC campuses in the fall. 

ACCTV recently highlighted student-parenting experiences in its new Day in the Life: Parenting Students docuseries, produced in collaboration with Austin PBS. The documentary gives viewers a window into what it’s really like to pursue higher education while raising children and the role that support systems like the Family Resource Corners play in helping parents succeed.

For more information on Family Resource Corners and Riverbat Bites Food Pantries, at austincc.edu/foodpantry.

Tags: Austin Diaper Bank, Diapers, Family Resource Corners, food bank, Student Parents