Houston Food Bank Sees Surge in Demand Amid Government Shutdown, Calls for Community Support
The Houston Food Bank is facing an unprecedented surge in demand for food assistance, with some programs reporting a staggering 1,800% increase in need since the government shutdown impacted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The organization has responded quickly to the crisis, but the situation remains dire, with around one million people in southeast Texas struggling to access enough nutritious food. The Houston Food Bank serves these individuals through its network of 1,600 community partners across 18 counties.
In response to this growing need, ABC13's Share Your Holidays food drive has been launched early to collect donations and support the efforts of the Houston Food Bank. The initiative aims to provide a safe haven for families struggling with hunger, ensuring that everyone has access to three meals a day.
The share-your-holidays campaign is easy to participate in – simply text "SYH2025" to 71777, scan the QR code shown on-air during Share Your Holidays stories, or visit the ABC13 website. Every dollar donated helps provide three meals for individuals in need.
The Houston Food Bank is particularly in need of specific items such as granola bars, crackers, trail mix, nuts, and dried fruits for its shelves. Canned goods like meats, fruits, vegetables, pasta, beans, and soups are also essential to their operations.
Houston residents experiencing food insecurity face a wide range of challenges, including lack of access to nutritious food due to financial constraints, household headcount, ethnicity, or location. According to Kinder Institute for Urban Research's Center for Community and Public Health, the rate of moderate to high food insecurity is particularly high among Black (53%) and Hispanic residents (47%), as well as households earning less than $35,000 annually.
Statewide, Texas has the highest number of people facing food insecurity in the nation, with 5.3 million Texans struggling to access enough nutritious food. The state also reports some of the highest rates of senior and child hunger, making it essential for all residents to support initiatives like Share Your Holidays.
By donating to ABC13's Share Your Holidays, Houstonians can help alleviate the burden on local food banks and ensure that everyone in the community has access to a safe and nutritious meal.
The Houston Food Bank is facing an unprecedented surge in demand for food assistance, with some programs reporting a staggering 1,800% increase in need since the government shutdown impacted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The organization has responded quickly to the crisis, but the situation remains dire, with around one million people in southeast Texas struggling to access enough nutritious food. The Houston Food Bank serves these individuals through its network of 1,600 community partners across 18 counties.
In response to this growing need, ABC13's Share Your Holidays food drive has been launched early to collect donations and support the efforts of the Houston Food Bank. The initiative aims to provide a safe haven for families struggling with hunger, ensuring that everyone has access to three meals a day.
The share-your-holidays campaign is easy to participate in – simply text "SYH2025" to 71777, scan the QR code shown on-air during Share Your Holidays stories, or visit the ABC13 website. Every dollar donated helps provide three meals for individuals in need.
The Houston Food Bank is particularly in need of specific items such as granola bars, crackers, trail mix, nuts, and dried fruits for its shelves. Canned goods like meats, fruits, vegetables, pasta, beans, and soups are also essential to their operations.
Houston residents experiencing food insecurity face a wide range of challenges, including lack of access to nutritious food due to financial constraints, household headcount, ethnicity, or location. According to Kinder Institute for Urban Research's Center for Community and Public Health, the rate of moderate to high food insecurity is particularly high among Black (53%) and Hispanic residents (47%), as well as households earning less than $35,000 annually.
Statewide, Texas has the highest number of people facing food insecurity in the nation, with 5.3 million Texans struggling to access enough nutritious food. The state also reports some of the highest rates of senior and child hunger, making it essential for all residents to support initiatives like Share Your Holidays.
By donating to ABC13's Share Your Holidays, Houstonians can help alleviate the burden on local food banks and ensure that everyone in the community has access to a safe and nutritious meal.
. Like, I get it, people need help, but this is on a whole different level. And it's not like they didn't see this coming... didn't we hear about all these gov shutdowns before and how they'd affect people struggling to make ends meet? Anywayz, yeah, ABC13's Share Your Holidays is actually kinda cool, I mean, who doesn't love food 
. We should def support it, but also let's not forget that this is a systemic issue, we need more than just donations to solve the problem.
the houston food bank is flooded with ppl needing food assistance rn! 1800% increase in need since the gov shutdown? that's wild 
and the stats on who's most affected... black & hispanic households & low income fams? it's like, we gotta step up!!! 
every little bit helps and u can even text "SYH2025" to 71777 lol easy peasy! 
, and I know firsthand how hard it is to get help. The fact that some programs have seen an increase of 1,800% in need since the government shutdown hit is just crazy... what's going on? 