State Stats: Texas Hunger at New Plateau

For weeks, anecdotal evidence across Texas has suggested a rise in the number of families facing hunger. Food Banks have appealed for public help, describing the situation as "critical" in North Texas and "overwhelming" in South Texas. In East Texas, a man was caught burgling for food. 

Now, public numbers have given added weight to these stories. As reported last week by Reuters, 1 in 10 Americans is now using the SNAP program (previously known as Food Stamps) to feed their families. Texas has the highest number of SNAP recipients at 2.8 million - half of whom are children.

In the past three months, policy analysts have watched as Texas SNAP numbers fell, a result of families no longer needing emergency relief from Hurricane Ike. This trend slowed in February, and has now reversed - more than 39,000 Texans entered the program in March (see graph). It now appears that Texas has reached a new plateau of need.