The North Texas Food Bank says roughly 460,000 people in its 12‑county service area rely on SNAP benefits. Half of them are children, and the need is tremendous.
“Even before the shutdown, in our 12‑county area and all of North Texas, we’d been seeing a higher demand because of the cost of living,” NTFB’s Clarissa Clarke said.
USDA promises full November benefits
In a letter sent to state SNAP directors, the USDA said the Food and Nutrition Service is working to implement full benefits this month, in compliance with a court order. It also advises state agencies with questions to reach out to their regional FNS representative. Read the USDA letter here.
“I think hopefully it will move a little faster now that the USDA has announced that they will be paying in full,” Clarke said. “I think what was slowing it down was when they were going to do partial payment because their systems are not set up for that.”
Homeless shelter expands food access
In McKinney, The Samaritan Inn helps people experiencing homelessness. CEO Jill Scigliano says financial instability, like having trouble affording food, can often be one of the first warning signs. Learn more about The Samaritan Inn…