The Houston Food Bank, a vital lifeline for thousands of families across Southeast Texas, is facing significant food shortages following the end of two major federal programs that once supported its food purchasing efforts.
In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) terminated two key initiatives that allowed food banks and schools to buy food from local farms and ranchers—cutting more than $1 billion in federal funding. This included the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program, which supported food banks in over 40 states, including Texas.
For the Houston Food Bank, the impact has been massive.
“We are losing $11 million in federal funding and about 20 million pounds of USDA commodities. That’s about 40 tractor-trailer loads of food lost every month,” said Brian Greene, CEO of the Houston Food Bank.
The consequences are being felt across the food bank’s vast network of partner organizations. One such partner, Crosby Church in Harris County, serves hundreds of families every week.
“We’ve seen a 25 to 50% reduction in the amount of food we receive, and it fluctuates weekly,” said Pastor Keenan Smith. “That fluctuation just depends on what the food bank has from its partners.”
Pastor Smith says diversifying food sources and donors has helped the church continue to strive to meet the community’s needs.
Food Banks Try to Adapt, But Shelves Are Emptying
Greene says the food bank is scrambling to adapt, turning to new funding sources and expanding partnerships to secure surplus fresh produce from South Texas, Mexico, and Arizona.
“We’ve had to cancel several deliveries altogether,” Greene said. “We’re doing everything we can to minimize the loss to the community.”
The strain on the food bank could worsen if a new bill currently in the U.S. House of Representatives is passed. The bill proposes cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), potentially reducing monthly food benefits for millions of Americans.
“If the proposed cuts to SNAP happen, it will be devastating,” Greene warned. “SNAP provides nine times the food that food banks do. An 11% cut to SNAP would be like eliminating every food bank in America.”
More Families May Be Left Hungry
Proposed changes to SNAP eligibility requirements could mean 3.2 million fewer people would receive benefits each month by 2034.
Experts warn this could drive even more families to food banks already stretched thin.
Currently, the federal government covers the full cost of SNAP, including administration. Under the new proposal, states would begin paying for up to 25% of benefits and 75% of administrative costs by 2028.
With demand growing and resources shrinking, food banks like Houston’s face a stark reality: do more with less, or risk leaving families hungry.
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