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Axios
14-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Texas food banks say SNAP cuts would worsen hunger
Over 22% of Bexar County children live in food-insecure households, per new estimates first shared with Axios from Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks. Why it matters: Texas food banks are warning potential cuts or changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could exacerbate the hunger crisis across the state. At the same time, tariffs on imported foods could affect millions of Americans. How it works: Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap report is an annual effort to make local estimates about food insecurity among different groups, in part by using government data. The childhood food insecurity rate represents the share of children who live in food-insecure households, which lack or have uncertain access to adequate food. See more about the methodology here. By the numbers: The overall food insecurity rate in Bexar County is nearly 19%, and Black (31%) and Hispanic (26%) households are disproportionately affected. Zoom in: Feeding Texas, the state association of food banks, said Tuesday that proposed cuts to SNAP would require states to pay 75% of administrative costs, instead of 50%, "which would hobble the program's ability to meet increased need," per a news release. The association estimates the state would spend an extra $87 million per year on administrative costs if Congress approves that cut, adding that there's no guarantee Texas could make up the gap. What they're saying: "The proposed SNAP cuts are of an unprecedented scale that food banks could never compensate for," Theresa Mangapora, Brazos Valley Food Bank executive director and Feeding Texas board chair, said in a statement. "I worry that the only solution for us is just to ration, and that means give families less food," Eric Cooper, CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank, told KSAT. Zoom out: An estimated 14 million U.S. children overall live in food-insecure homes. That's about one out of every five kids. The rate tends to be higher in relatively poor, rural counties — but there are urban areas with high rates as well, like New York's Bronx County (33%). Hancock County, Georgia (47%), Perry County, Alabama (47%), and Holmes County, Mississippi (46%), had the highest estimated childhood food insecurity rates as of 2023, per Feeding America. The big picture: Childhood food insecurity is one piece of a broader hunger problem exacerbated by rising food costs. The total amount of money people in food-insecure U.S. households need to buy enough food rose from $28.5 billion in 2022 to $32.2 billion in 2023, up 8.4% when adjusted for inflation. What's next: As the school year nears its end, the perennial threat of "summer hunger" will be an issue for students who rely on school meals to get enough to eat.
Axios
13-02-2025
- Business
- Axios
San Antonio Food Bank pushing for summer food benefits
The San Antonio Food Bank is joining its Texas counterparts in asking state lawmakers to approve a budget with federal benefits to ensure low-income students still have access to food over summer break. Why it matters: 1 in 6 Texas households is food insecure, and an estimated 3.75 million Texas students are eligible for a U.S. Department of Agriculture program that would give them money to buy food during the summer, according to Feeding Texas. The eligible students would typically get free lunches during the school year. The big picture: Texas was among 13 states that did not accept the federal money last year, the program's first year. A Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) spokesperson told the Texas Tribune last year that there wasn't enough time to set up the program. State officials already missed a Jan. 1 deadline but still have a chance to opt in by March 1 to take part this summer. Driving the news: Feeding Texas and the San Antonio Food Bank are lobbying state lawmakers to direct the HHSC to accept the federal money. Feeding Texas has posted a letter online that Texans can send to their state representative or senator. Zoom in: About 234,000 Bexar County children are eligible to receive the money, equaling more than $43 million in federal funds funneled back to the region. Threat level: The stress of securing summer meals adds to a "perfect storm" of expenses for families already struggling with childcare costs, heat-induced high utility bills and affordable housing, San Antonio Food Bank CEO Eric Cooper tells Axios. The program would ease strain on the food bank and help prevent supply rationing during the summer, its busiest season, Cooper says. How it works: Texas could receive $450 million in federal funding for the summer program, which would give $120 EBT cards to spend at grocery stores for every qualifying student. It would cost about $110 million to implement the program in Texas, of which the state would have to pay half. The benefits work like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. What they're saying: Cooper says it's painful to know a federal resource was available last year that could've helped but wasn't tapped into. "It's just a tragedy when there was a resource that could've been realized," he says. "There's nothing better than feeding a child and I hope that the Texas Legislature agrees."
