TX Lege OKs New Program for Hungry Kids

Yesterday, by unanimous vote, the Texas Senate approved HB 1622 for passage. The bill, which creates a program to distribute healthy foods to children at-risk of hunger and obesity, was also passed by a nearly unanimous House and is likely to be signed by Governor Perry. 

"I am feeling wonderful," said Rep. Helen Giddings, D-Dallas, one of the bill's authors. "We are going to be able to help so many children who are food insecure. This is just marvelous."

The new program still faces obstacles. Funding must be found in the state budget before June 1st to support the $20 million request. This decision will test the commitment of the legislature to childhood nutrition. 

"We're struggling to keep up with the demand and I expect that it's going to continue," commented David Weaver, Director of the South Plains Food Bank in Lubbock. "We need all the help we can get."

You can help make this bill a reality! Please call your state legislators today and ask them to outwardly support full funding for the food bank bill, HB 1622!

Texas #1 in Child Hunger - Legislature Reacts

Yesterday the national group Feeding America released newly calculated Census data revealing that 22.1% of Texas children live in households facing hunger, the highest rate in the nation.

In response, State Senator Judith Zaffirini and Representative Helen Giddings have introduced a bill that would help food banks provide healthy foods to at-risk children. The bill passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee this week.

“This legislation can help us combat the growing crisis of hunger among Texas youth by providing access to food choices that are vital for nutrition education and behavioral change," said Zaffirini in a statement. "What’s more, it would support and extend existing efforts by nonprofit agencies.”

The Texas bill, HB 1622 would address the problem by distributing healthy staples among existing networks maintained by food banks statewide.

“The passage of House Bill 1622 would go a long way to help get healthy food to children who are food-insecure, the children who linger in the school cafeteria and look for leftovers, those that return to school on Monday tired and weak from a weekend of undernourishment,” Eric Cooper, director of the San Antonio Food Bank told the Express News.

Legislators are meeting this week to decide the fate of the bill. You can tell your state legislator to support the bill here!

More coverage: Houston, Wichita Falls, Tyler (1,2), Austin

New Funds, Public & Private, Feed Growing Hungry

As the economy falters and the number of hungry Texans rises, funding from both the public and private sectors is rushing to fill the gaps.

Private giving for food banks is up nationwide, according to USA Today. In Tyler, the number of donors to the East Texas Food Bank is up 115%, and their average gift increased from $49.66 to $56.37.  

Anonymous giving is also up, a trend exemplified by a recent $1 million anonymous donation to the North Texas Food Bank. “[The donor] said she would not have been able to look herself in the mirror over the holidays had she not made the gift,” said Jan Pruitt, the food bank’s CEO.

Government programs are following suit by making new investments in programs proven to feed children and the elderly. 

Texas TDA Commissioner Todd Staples recently announced the use of $11 million in federal stimulus money to retrofit school kitchens, making it easier to deliver healthy meals to children through the free and reduced-price lunch program. 

Soon thereafter, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced $124,000 in federal grants to encourage the use of farmers' markets by low-income seniors in Texas this summer. 

Even judges are getting into the act, allowing probationers to donate food rather than perform community service. "What better way to help the community than by feeding people?" asked corrections officer Bob Hughes.

One in Four Houstonites Cutting Back on Groceries

A new survey by the Houston Center for Public Policy details the economic situation facing Houston-area families. Notably:

• 44% of respondents said the economy was the city's most serious problem, up from 15% the previous year. 
  
• 25% admitted having trouble buying groceries to feed their families.

The results dovetail with the increased demand experienced by local food charities. 

According to Brian Greene, CEO of the Houston Food Bank, unemployment often forces families to cut budgets where they can, while monthly costs like rent, utilities and car payments remain fixed. 

“Food is one of the few flexible areas” in the family budget, Greene told the Houston Chronicle in response to the survey's findings.

Hunters, Supermarkets Provide Protein to Struggling Food Banks

Responding to rising levels of need, two private groups stepped forward last week to assist Texas food banks in their struggle against hunger.

• In the Amarillo region, United Supermarkets partnered with the High Plains Food Bank to donate meat and other perishables. United estimates it will provide 5,000 lbs./month to the food bank, which is seeing double the number of families it fed at this time last year. "[It] couldn't have come at a better time," said a food bank spokesperson.
  
• Hunters in South Texas are firing up their participation in Hunters for the Hungry, a group that promotes the donation of harvested deer statewide. "Times are difficult," said one hunter. "And there are a lot of hungry people who could use all that venison."

State: Feeding New Hungry like "Drinking from a Firehose"

Facing rapidly rising need, state officials have announced a temporary halt to the expansion of TIERS, a new system for processing SNAP benefits (formerly known as Food Stamps). 

“It’s tough to make any changes when you’re drinking from a fire hose,” said Stephanie Goodman, a spokesman for the state.

Nearly 3 million Texans are now receiving SNAP benefits, up 20% from the same time last year. 

Advocates and legislators approved of the halt. Many have been critical of the system, which has documented problems with lost paperwork and timeliness. "We cannot have a situation where technical glitches hold up food and medical care for hard working mothers and families in our area," said Rep. Abel Herrero (D-Robstown).

HHSC has had "some challenges in achieving the timeliness benchmarks," admitted HHSC Commissioner Albert Hawkins. The deteriorating economy has just added more stress to the rollout of this new system. 

Video: Hunger on the Rise in Central Texas