A message from our co-founder

 I am the Co-Founder and "Chief Insane Idea" Officer of Partners4People.  Leading the group through its start up stage on a steady diet of dad jokes and uncomfortable icebreakers during board meetings, 

Tim brings 20+ years of non-profit volunteering, board development and unique perspectives to Partners4People.

"In a country where we can be anything, why are people underfed and unhoused?  If we can dream of solutions to seemingly everything, then surely we can find solutions to help people who are truly hurting.  Every child that goes to school hungry, or neighbor that sleeps outside because of a lack of housing, is a failure - by all of us."

What do I dream about for Partners4People?  "What gets me going is when we have delivered on the promise.  When people are fed.  Imagine an Austin that doesn't have an underfed population?  We are going to be present and invest in solutions, while also delivering tangible results:  Food to the underfed"

Fun Fact:    I have seen Lyle Lovett live at least a dozen times.  "I'm not from Texas, but Texas wanted me anyway" - Thank you Lyle Lovett!

Other stuff:  I have been part of multiple non-profits including the Boys & Girls Club, Austin's Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps and many others.   

Giving back feels like a Super Power.

After getting invited to volunteer at a P4P event almost two years ago by Tim, I got to see firsthand what happens when people put their heads and hearts together to truly better their own community. Though my experience with nonprofits is limited, I was asked to join the board and I couldn't say yes faster. I was given the opportunity to be part of an organization with ambitious and driven people who are just as desperate as I am to leave this world a better place than they found it, so how could I even consider saying no?

Why did I join a nonprofit, let alone P4P?

Well, to the question I just posed for myself, here’s a cheesy answer: to actually help the homeless community.

People so often write off the homeless community and the homeless epidemic that has a grip on our nation. There’s a level of separation in our culture between the homeless community and everyone else and there's a key fact of our society that I think a lot of people miss: the homeless community IS our community. They are people who deserve just as much patience and respect that we give to those at the upper echelons of society. They are people just like us who got hit hard by life in one way or another or weren’t even given a chance to have the life we have.  

Fun fact: I've met the former president of Karabakh, an ex-territory of Armenia.

Nonprofit and volunteer experience: A&M Breakaway "Shalom" fundraiser, Boys and Girls Club, Dell's Environmental and Social Governance organization, and food drives for various ministries 

My connection to Partners4People is deeply personal. I grew up experiencing food insecurity firsthand. I remember my grandparents showing up with bags of groceries when I was a child—and how, even at a young age, I understood that it was the support of extended family that helped keep food on the table and a roof over our heads.

My parents were young, loving, and worked incredibly hard to give us a good life. Their dedication laid the foundation for who I am today: a parent, a professional, and a community advocate committed to paying that support forward.

After two decades leading global sales and business development teams in the tech industry, I now focus on helping individuals and families achieve financial freedom. But just as important to me is the work I do within my community—because I believe none of us truly thrive unless we all have the opportunity to succeed.

Today, I’m honored to serve on the board of Partners4People, where I’m driven by the simple but powerful idea that no one should face hunger or housing instability alone. Whether it’s raising funds, increasing awareness, or simply showing up—one dollar, one step, one person at a time—we can be part of real, lasting change.

When I’m not working with clients or volunteering, you’ll find me off-grid with my partner and our three boys exploring Texas’ beautiful state parks in our RV, tending to my garden, or working with the Oak Cliff Bee Company to help grow the honey bee population across Austin and the Hill Country. Whether it’s planting a seed or helping a neighbor, I believe the smallest efforts, when done with intention, can make the biggest difference.

 A native Austinite, I bring nearly two decades of professional and nonprofit experience to his role as a board member for Partners4People. As a Senior Product Manager in the technology sector, I work to understand customer needs and develop solutions that make a meaningful impact—an approach I'm eager to bring to the mission of addressing food insecurity and homelessness.

I have been actively involved with community-focused organizations since 2007. He previously served on the board of Austin Symphony BATS, supporting events that engaged young professionals with the arts. More recently, I held the role of Treasurer for Fireball ATX, a nonprofit dedicated to raising funds for hospitals providing burn and orthopedic care to children.

My connection to Partners4People runs deep. Having known Tim Keaney professionally and personally for over a decade, I was inspired by Tim’s dedication, responsiveness, and passion for this cause. That shared commitment drives me to contribute meaningfully and help uncover new ways the organization can serve its mission.

I believe access to food and shelter is a fundamental human right—and that sometimes, a bit of kindness and support is all someone needs to get back on track.

Fun Fact:  I grew up in South Austin and has proudly watched the city grow and evolve over nearly five decades.

I believe that advocating for food and housing as basic human rights is recognition that all individuals, regardless of their circumstances, deserve the fundamental necessities to live a life of dignity, health and opportunity.  

This is the guiding principle of Partners4People.  We realize that housing and food insecurity are very complex issues and we, by no means, will solve this by ourselves.  Instead, we want to partner with others in our community, to collectively come alongside those in need.

In a world where success is often measured in large numbers, I find profound meaning and achievement in building a stronger and more compassionate community, one person at a time. 

In the past, I have served on the Simi Valley Education Foundation Executive Board as well as the Simi Valley Community Foundation Board.

Fun Fact:  I am a lifelong baseball fan (NL - Dodgers and AL - Red Sox) and my honeymoon was spent at Cooperstown!

 The primary reason I believe in the mission of P4P is knowing that any contribution in that mission impacts peoples lives for the better. 

All food insecure people in our community know that they have a partner who is for them. 

Fun fact:  I've seen "The Dark Knight" so many times that I believe I qualify as being Batman.

Meghan Keaney is a second grade teacher residing in Salem, Oregon - More bio to come!