Relief for Hurricane's Hungry

A little-known fact about the "emergency food system" in Texas is that most families forced to visit the state's nineteen food banks and food rescue organizations are actually facing hunger caused by "chronic" conditions like underemployment, low wages, low education levels, a lack of assets or the rising cost of living.

However, the system lives up to its name when responding to sudden emergencies like last week's Hurricane Dolly. Across South Texas, anti-hunger organizations like the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, Food Bank of Corpus Christi, South Texas Food Bank, North Texas Food Bank and East Texas Food Bank responded rapidly and effectively to help victims of the crisis.

“We are always on standby and ready to respond in times of disaster,” said Robert L. Bush, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank.