AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) — Feeding America released the 2026 Map the Meal Gap study, giving insight to food insecurity across the country and region.
According to the study:
- 1 in 5 people in the Texas Panhandle experienced food insecurity in 2024
- 1 in 4 children experienced food insecurity
- Swisher County has the regions highest estimated food insecurity at 25.4%
- 22.4% of Potter County residents and 30.7% of children experienced food insecurity
- More than 55% of people facing hunger in the Texas Panhandle have incomes too high to qualify for federal nutrition assistance
High Plains Food Bank Executive Director Zack Wilson shared out of the 29 counties they serve, 11have food insecurity rates over 20%. Wilson attributed some of the data from 2024 to natural disasters that impacted the High Plains.
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“The rising costs of everything these days have forced a lot of families, working families into making decisions that they’ve never made before,” explained Wilson. “And those that have been in that scenario before are now continuing to make those choices and even harder choices.”
According to Wilson although the availability of work and wages may have gone up over the past six years, it’s not to the extent that expenses have surpassed them…