1 in 7 Texas Homes Struggle to Avoid Hunger As Threats to Federal Assistance Mount

Feeding Texas

1 in 7 Texas households struggled to avoid hunger between 2016 and 2018, according to a new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report.  14 percent of Texas households experienced “food insecurity” in that time period, meaning they faced hunger or engaged in coping mechanisms to avoid it.

The report coincides with pending administrative changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility that, if enacted, will increase hunger in Texas and across the nation.

“SNAP helps more than three million Texans put food on the table every year, and it’s often the first and most effective line of defense against hunger,” said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas. “Taking food away from hard-working families will only increase food insecurity.”    

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.

“Hunger is a terrible problem; but it’s also a problem we can prevent,” said Cole. “The best way to help our neighbors avoid hunger is to provide them with the opportunities and basic resources they need to live productive, healthy lives. Cutting SNAP takes us in the opposite direction.”

Read the full USDA report here.

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