USDA Announced Largest Increase to Food Assistance Benefits in SNAP Program History
August 16th, 2021
The USDA announced a 27% increase to SNAP benefits for Texas residents, equivalent to $1.5B annually. Food banks welcomed USDA’s Monday announcement of a long overdue update to the calculation of federal food aid that will result in a 27% increase to SNAP benefits for Texas residents, equivalent to $1.5B annually. The Thrifty Food Plan,
New Law Simplifies Access To SNAP For Vulnerable Texas Populations, Aims To Reduce Senior Hunger
June 17th, 2021
SB 224 simplifies the SNAP certification and recertification requirements for households comprised of senior citizens or individuals with disabilities SB 224, authored by Texas State Senator Charles Perry and sponsored by Rep. Armando Walle, became law yesterday after being signed by Governor Greg Abbott. The legislation creates a simplified certification and recertification process for Supplemental
University of Texas Student E-Cookbook Promotes Sustainable Food Sourcing and Raises Funds for Feeding Texas
June 17th, 2021
A team of 17 students from The University of Texas at Austin created a donation-based e-cookbook titled “A Taste of Austin Through the Lens of Sustainability” that showcases local restaurants and businesses focused on sustainability. The students make up this year’s Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CPD), a three-semester pre-professional program in nutritional sciences where those
Texans Running Out of Food as Weather Crisis Disrupts Supply Chain
February 18th, 2021
Texans running low on food are finding empty grocery store shelves. Food pantries are running out of supplies. And the freeze has wiped out substantial portions of the state’s citrus and vegetable crops. This story was originally published in The Texas Tribune.Photo Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas Tribune The state’s week of weather hell started
Texas Food Banks May Be Less Equipped to Help Hungry Households in the New Year
December 10th, 2020
More than 2.5 million households in Texas didn’t always have enough food to eat in November, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. About two-thirds of those households were either Hispanic or Black. This story was originally published in The Texas Tribune. Food banks across Texas are projecting food shortages in coming months due to the
Bipartisan Legislation Proposes to Feed More Texas Seniors
December 10th, 2020
Bipartisan legislation filed in advance of the 87th Texas Legislature would streamline access to nutrition assistance for Texas seniors and people with disabilities, according to advocates. The companion bills, filed in the House by Representative Armando Walle (D-Houston) and in the Senate by Senators Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) and Royce West (D-Dallas), would direct the Texas
COVID-19 Impact Report: Over 400M Pounds of Food Distributed
November 17th, 2020
Thanks to the generous support of donors and partners, Feeding Texas and the statewide network of food banks were able to feed hundreds of thousands of Texans since the start of the COVID-19 economic downturn and make a commitment to be there for the long term with increased levels of support. Over 400 million pounds of
Texas Food Banks Low on Supplies, Volunteers During Coronavirus Pandemic
April 8th, 2020
Demand for assistance from food banks is off the charts. But volunteers are staying at home, and grocery stores, which typically are key donors to pantries, are seeing their shelves depleted. This story was originally published in The Texas Tribune. Across the state, demand for assistance from food banks is off the charts as thousands
Meeting Specific Dietary Needs
November 14th, 2019
At Feeding Texas, we aim to support the nutritional needs of every Texan whose circumstances prevent them from accessing enough food for a healthy life. This goal is particularly relevant for households with specific dietary needs; for example, those living with diabetes. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Nutritional management is critical for individuals living
Celebrating Vegetarian Month
October 30th, 2019
October is the month of ghosts, pumpkins and eating way too much candy. Surprisingly, it is also National Vegetarian Month—a time to celebrate eating vegetables! A vegetarian is “a person who does not eat meat or fish and sometimes other animal products, especially for moral, religious, or health reasons” (WHRO 2015). There are also pescatarians,
Judges Block ‘Public Charge’ Rule That Targets Immigrant Use of Health and Nutrition Services
October 15th, 2019
Feeding Texas policy analyst Jamie Olson explains how the ‘public charge’ ruling affects low-income immigrant families. This story was originally published in the Dallas Observer. Immigration advocates across Texas are breathing a sigh of relief after a new rule targeting low-income immigrants was blocked in federal court. Three federal judges have issued nationwide preliminary injunctions
1 in 7 Texas Homes Struggle to Avoid Hunger As Threats to Federal Assistance Mount
September 6th, 2019
The report found that Texas’ food insecurity rate was higher than the national rate during the same time period. In raw numbers, nearly 1.5 million Texas households were food insecure, more than any other state except California.
Many Students Could Lose Free Lunch Under Proposed SNAP Changes
August 1st, 2019
Feeding Texas Policy Analyst Jamie Olson weighs in on how proposed changes to SNAP would affect working families and children.
Hunters for the Hungry: On the Hunt to End Hunger
June 24th, 2019
Hunters for the Hungry is a statewide hunger relief program that provides venison to Texans in need.
Can We Stop Kids From Being Shamed Over School Lunch Debt?
June 24th, 2019
Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole weighs in on the importance of finding long-term solutions in Texas cafeterias.
This story was originally published on Civil Eats.
Disaster Response Mobile Pantry Readies for Hurricane Season
June 1st, 2019
The Disaster Response Mobile Pantry will serve the 19 counties of the West Texas Food Bank, and is on-call and available to other areas in the state should an emergency or disaster arise.