Texas leads the nation in food insecurity, here’s how local organizations are helping:

ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- Food insecurity is a nationwide issue, and new data shows that Texas has taken center stage and now leads the nation in number of citizens facing a hunger crisis; some of those struggling to put food on the table live in our own communities.

Michelle Maphis, a local resident who waited in line at the Jesus House food pantry shared that the need for food is a real and difficult issue for many people, including herself.

“My husband, unfortunately, got put on hospice, my mother-in-law is 77 and she had a stroke last year, so I’m the only one supporting the family at the moment and I need some help right now. The struggle is so real, my husband is on oxygen 24/7 now, and we just don’t know what to do anymore, so without these places, we’d never make it,” she said.

Maphis also said that despite this need for help, SNAP, (Supplemental Nutrition Supplement Program) a government food aid system states that Maphis is not qualified.

“Even though SNAP says I make too much for a three-party family it’s just, we still need the help. We just can’t afford the bills and everything on our own,” she said.

According to local food bank organizations, there has been a rise in the number of people who need aid because of food insecurity. Just last month In April, The West Texas Food Bank in Odessa had the longest line for its drive-thru food pantry with more than 600 cars waiting.

Brent Oden, the Director of Programs for the West Texas Food Bank, said that the Food Bank has experienced a significant increase in the need for food aid since COVID-19. To measure the increase, food banks use pounds-per-year measurements, and according to Oden, the West Texas Food Bank had a significant increase in their pound-per-year statistics.

“Before COVID we were a six million ‘pound a year’ food bank; now we’re 14 million pounds per year. We’ve increased that much in just the last four years,” Oden said.

According to the local food banks, Local food resources, volunteers, and people receiving aid, the significant increase in food insecurity is attributed to many reasons but was said to mainly be from inflation.

“Things are so expensive right now, and I think sometimes people have to make a choice…are they going to pay their rent, are they going to make their car payment, or are they going to buy food?” Oden said.

Klarissa, a local woman who was in line to collect food donations at Jesus House shared that despite having the money to pay bills, the high prices are making it difficult to afford other necessities such as food.

“At home we make ends meet with the bills, but with the high cost of living, sometimes there is not enough leftover for food, even if we both have full-time jobs and trying to make ends meet, it’s hard sometimes,” she said.

Laura Stuart, founder and creator of Hope Squad, a local food pantry that was started after Stuart heard a sermon in her church, also said that this is a very real issue in the local area.

“There is such a need in our community, and I honestly didn’t see it, until I started doing this,” Stuart said.

Since Stuart first started Hope Squad, she said she’s seen an increase in the number of people who need aid; she also agreed the need has risen right along with grocery prices.

“A lot of things have gotten more expensive. Groceries are outrageous and I think it’s just hitting everybody,” she said.

Libby Stephens the Chief executive officer for the West Texas Food Bank stated that the need for assistance is constant but food aid is especially needed during the summer.

“We actually have our highest need in hunger during the summer months, when our kiddos are out of school, and they don’t see free and reduced lunch,” Stephens said.

According to Oden with the West Texas Food Bank, during the school year, the food bank feeds nine different sites and gives meals to an estimated amount of 700 kids a day, but during summertime, the numbers increase to 14 sites that feed over 1,000 kids a day.

“We hear people with kids, they were working a month ago, but for some reason lost their job and all of a sudden they are in need, so they come to our lines to feed their kids and feed their families,” Oden said.

Food insecurity is shown to have grown exponentially in the local area, but also Texas as an entire state. A study done by Feeding America and the Map the Meal Gap showed that Texas, surpassing California, leads the nation in food insecurity with a rate of 16.4% which, according to Feeding America, is equal to an estimated 5 million people facing hunger, with over one-third of those being children.

The rate of child food insecurity surged to 20.8%, after the previous year’s rate of 15.8%, and the study estimated that 1,697,870 children are facing hunger with an insecurity rate of 22.8% in Texas alone.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Texas opted out and did not join the “national effort” for the $2.5 billion federal nutrition program that was made available to aid low-income parents in getting groceries for their children when free school meals are unavailable during summer. The USDA stated that Texas passed on a total amount of $450 million in federal tax dollars, where qualifying families would receive $120 per child through pre-loaded cards for three summer months.

A volunteer at the Jesus House pantry named Isaiah said that hunger in the nation and in the local community is a real issue.

“Hard times right now. Everybody needs a helping hand. You got children that are hungry, of course, you have families that are hungry,” he said.

But with the help of local food resources, donations, and volunteers, it “allows us to put a dent in that problem”.

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