In West Houston, the food pantry at Assistance Ministries resembles a small grocery store, where families shop for fresh produce, meats, and dairy products. The atmosphere aims to provide a sense of dignity to those seeking help, as explained by Verita Duncan, who manages the pantry.
The food pantry has faced increasing challenges recently due to funding cuts affecting their main supplier, the Houston Food Bank. Duncan noted the frustrations stemming from federal funding reductions: “Their stuff is cut. And if their stuff is cut, our stuff is cut.”
As the summer season begins, the pantry anticipates an uptick in demand. More families are likely to seek assistance as children are home from school, resulting in longer waitlists and first-time registrants. Julieta Gama, a local resident and mother of four school-age children, expressed the difficult reality for her family, as her income from cleaning homes ranges between $800 and $2,000 monthly.
Gama shared that without food pantry support, she’d face nights sleeping hungry: “I would go to bed on an empty stomach.”
The situation is stark throughout Texas, where approximately 4 million individuals rely on food banks annually. Many of these entities are struggling to maintain supplies due to cuts from the USDA, alongside the concerning statistic that nearly 25% of children in the state experience food insecurity.
Brian Greene, CEO of the Houston Food Bank, emphasized the impact of reduced federal funding on their operations. “We’re already distributing less than we were because of the federal cutbacks. It’s really netting out to less per household that we’re able to do,” he stated.
Compounding the issue, the organization has had to downsize staff in response to the shortfall. In south central Texas, the San Antonio Food Bank is also facing similar challenges, reporting diminished inventory levels as they increasingly rely on private donors. Eric Cooper, the Food Bank’s CEO, explained, “We’re just not making up for those lost food items and so it forces us to ration, give a little less food.”
Whereas the goal was to provide a week’s worth of groceries, the focus has shifted to offering only five days’ worth to families in need.
Looking to the future, Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas, expressed concern regarding potential cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) included in a House spending bill. Cole argued that these cuts could amplify demand on food banks, as SNAP functions on a far larger scale than what food banks can provide.
“SNAP is operating at a scale that’s almost 10 times as great as what food banks can do. So, any cut to SNAP, even a smaller cut than the ones that are being contemplated here, leads to more people needing help from food banks,” she stated.
Currently, the Senate is deliberating this House bill, which proposes transferring some funding responsibilities for SNAP from the federal government to individual states. Cole highlighted the potential pitfalls for states like Texas, which cannot deficit spend. This puts further strain on state resources during economic downturns, when SNAP demand tends to increase.
Beyond legislative concerns, there is an additional layer of complication affecting families in Texas. An increasing number of U.S.-born children are legally eligible for food assistance through SNAP, yet many families are deterred from applying due to fears of immigration enforcement. This has led to a notable reluctance to seek benefits, according to the Houston-area nonprofit ECHOS that assists mixed-status families.
ECHOS has observed that while their clients earn an average of $1,300 monthly, food assistance applications have dropped by 30% this year, not reflecting a decrease in need but rather a reluctance to engage with government services.
Maricela Delcid, an ECHOS team leader, noted the heartbreaking stories of families who cannot afford basic necessities like diapers and milk. “It’s very difficult to hear their stories from clients not being able to buy necessary items. We want to help. But how can we help when a lot of the funding is getting cut?” she questioned.
As food banks in Texas continue to navigate the dual challenges of rising demand and dwindling resources, the needs of families like Gama’s highlight the critical role these organizations play in ensuring food security. With ongoing discussions in Congress about further funding cuts, the future of food assistance for many remains uncertain.
image source from：houstonpublicmedia
