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Free things to do this fall and Austin's best dishes top the week's biggest stories

view of downtown Austin from Boardwalk Trail on Lady Bird Lake

We've got your list of free things to do this fall. Photo courtesy of The Trail Foundation/Facebook

From essential fall activities to Austin's finest fare, read on for a full recap of this week's hottest headlines.

1. Here are 10 free things that every Austinite should do this fall.

2. Six Austin dishes were named among the best in Texas — and there are a few surprises.

3. Next month Waller Creek will transform into a fantastic light show for one night only.

4. Deep Eddy Vodka released a commercial that stirred up controversy over its sexist content.

5. Austin Tex-Mex favorite VIVO reopened in a new location this week.

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Food for Thought

Austin Community College gets new scholarship and food pantry

A donation totaling $250,000 is helping ACC address food insecurity. Photo courtesy of KVUE

A recent donation to the Austin Community College District (ACC) will now address food insecurity at its Elgin campus.

Recently, a family from Elgin donated $250,000 to ACC. Officials said the money will be used to establish a new scholarship and food pantry for students.

According to ACC, every year, 74,000 students enroll at its campuses. However, a recent study identified 48 percent of the students as food insecure.

"That could be on a range from really having no food access, to limited food access," said Cara Crowley, ACC's Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Basic Needs Systems. "And many of our students, particularly those that are parents, often will cut their own meals to provide food for their kids.”

Vanessa Barrientos with the ACC Student Care Center at Highland said the pantry offers everything from canned food and vegetables to toiletries free of charge for students.

"With us being able to contribute with this one resource that may seem small, it's definitely making a bigger impact in their lives, in their family's lives,” Barrientos said.

Here's how ACC will break down the donation:

$150,000 to establish the Ferguson Family McDonald’s Endowed Scholarship
$80,000 to establish the Elgin Campus Student Life Food Pantry Endowment
$20,000 to directly support the Elgin Campus Student Life Food Pantry ($10,000 to be used in 2025 with another $10,000 to be used in 2026)

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

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