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AUSTIN (KXAN) – A new report from the USDA shows that the number of people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from has decreased in Texas in recent years. The report shows that food insecurity decreased slightly from 2015-17 to 2018-20, decreasing by more than 5% over the past 10 years.
What the report points out, according to experts, is that the recent pandemic and other disasters have put publicly funded nutrition programs into high gear, and in many cases they have worked.
“Over the past year, when many Americans lost their jobs, were on leave, or experienced dramatic fluctuations in work hours and income due to widespread closings and quarantines, our federal safety net programs have alleviated hunger for households across the country,” said Jeremy Everett, founder and Director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, wrote to KXAN.
Still, more than 4.2 million Texans and one in four children in our state are currently food insecure, according to the Texas-based Hunger and Poverty collaboration.
The trends in central Texas show a very different picture
Central Texas in particular does not reflect the decline in food insecurity the USDA is experiencing nationwide, said Derrick Chubbs, the president and CEO of Central Texas Food Bank.
“I’m not saying it’s wrong, I’m just saying that it’s not our experience,” said Chubbs. “Before the pandemic, let’s just say from 2019, our food insecurity rates were around 13.2% and in 2021 they will be calculated at 15.4%. That’s an increase of 16%, not a decrease. ”
Chubbs says food insecurity among children has also increased by 21%.
“If we didn’t know beforehand, there is nothing like a line in Nelson Field where we are handing out food to 6,000 or 7,000 people just to show that not only do we have a hunger problem in central Texas, but we too … this one whole nation, ”said Chubbs.
He also said the food bank was spending about $ 100,000 a month on food purchases before the pandemic started. That’s up to $ 1 million a month during the pandemic.
Color communities disproportionately affected
Findings from the USDA and the Central Texas Food Bank agree that color communities are disproportionately affected by food insecurity, both during the pandemic and in general.
“Unfortunately, food insecurity for Black and Hispanic households has increased – in some cases quite extreme. People of Color continue to bear the brunt of our broken welfare systems, ”Everett told KXAN of the USDA report.
The Central Texas Food Bank saw that too.
“This is something that really shed light on the pandemic,” Chubbs said. “If the pandemic didn’t, the freezing did more.”
The Central Texas Food Bank says it is working on several programs and pilots to address this issue. For example, the city of Austin, Central Texas Food Bank, and other groups have piloted a project with Amazon to have groceries delivered directly to people who can’t make it to food distribution events or grocery stores.
They are also looking for partner agencies, especially those that focus on home deliveries, to further this mission.
How to give, get help
If you or someone you know is struggling with food insecurity, find resources near you on the Central Texas Food Banks’ Finding Grocery website.
Chubbs says they need donations and volunteers. Summer is traditionally a busy time for the table.
To register as a volunteer or donate, visit the website. You can volunteer in a mobile pantry, warehouse, communal kitchen, garden, or partner locations.
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