Posts by:

JC Dwyer

State Cuts Food Bank Funding as Need Soars

October 1st, 2020

The Texas Department of Agriculture slashed food bank funding by 44% today, despite record need related to the COVID-19 health crisis. The $1.9 million cut is to the Surplus Agricultural Product Grant, which helps food banks procure fresh produce from local growers. The cuts are aimed at satisfying a directive from the Governor to trim agency budgets

Hunger in Texas Doubles During Pandemic

July 13th, 2020

“This data makes it clear that the new normal of COVID-19 includes a significant increase in hunger…A modest, fifteen percent boost to SNAP while the pandemic continues would begin to counter this increase.” Photograph by Tamir Kalifa New research suggests food insecurity has doubled among Texas families on the four-month anniversary of Texas’ disaster declaration

New $1 Billion Program To Help Texas Families with Kids Afford Groceries

May 13th, 2020

Feeding Texas applauded USDA’s approval of a $1 Billion state plan to help some Texas families buy groceries during the health crisis. Households containing children up to 21 years old who received free or low-cost lunch at school this year will be eligible for the new Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program.   Families will receive a one-time benefit of

$3 Billion Coronavirus Relief Program to Aid Food Banks and Food Distributors

April 27th, 2020

USDA announced the details of a new, $3 Billion Coronavirus relief program for growers, producers, and families facing the economic effects of COVID-19. The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) will deliver boxes of dairy, produce and meat through an open solicitation to local and regional food distributors, who must partner with food banks or other

Food Banks Urge Congress to Strengthen SNAP as Lines for Food Grow Longer

April 22nd, 2020

Food banks and nutrition advocates urged Congress to adopt proposals strengthening SNAP this week as the need for food assistance continued to rise across the state.   “Our food banks are being overwhelmed,” said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas. “We need to deploy every tool in our toolkit to address this crisis.”   Proposals to

Proposed Cuts to SNAP Would ‘Take Food Away From Millions’

February 10th, 2020

Today the White House unveiled a budget proposal that would slash spending on the needs of low-income Americans. The cuts include a $182 Billion reduction to SNAP, the nation’s largest nutrition assistance program. While unlikely to become law this year, this proposal signals the president’s priorities for the coming decade. Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding