The line of cars usually starts to wind around the block about 30 minutes before the food pantry at El Buen Samaritano opens. The first day the pantry was open after Austin thawed out from the historic storm and the city was again semi-functional, the line of cars carrying families in need of food and water started two hours before opening. It swung around the block and down the street so far that security had to keep a major intersection clear for other traffic.
 
Austin Southwest Rotary was so happy to have scheduled their workday at El Buen Samaritano food pantry that day. Rotary volunteers did not stop for 3 hours as the carrots, apples, onions, cheese, prepared frozen meals, eggs and dry goods were loaded into bags for the drive through clients. By the end of the morning, nearly twice as many families received food as generally do. The pantry was empty except for a few bags of onions after nearly 300 families were provided with desperately needed food. A weary group of Rotarians and pantry employees high fived each other with smiles as they all left the pantry to get into their cars.