HOUSTON – Houston-area food pantry operators have reported spikes in demand stemming from inflation and the ending of certain pandemic-related benefits. The president of the Houston Food Bank told KPRC 2 at least 1 million people in the region are experiencing food insecurity.
“When people think of inflation, it’s not just food inflation. The biggest inflation right now is rent inflation,” said Houston Food Bank president Brian Greene. “Rent inflation right now is over 7% and for a low-income family that can be half or more of their income.”
Greene said inflation has chipped away at the gains made at the end of the COVID pandemic when businesses reopened and jobs returned. He said the Food Bank distributes 600,000 pounds of food a day to hundreds of partner operations, yet that is barely meeting demand.
“At any given time we’re doing the best we can with what we have but it is hard when we’re seeing the increase that we are now,” said Greene.
The increase in demand was clearly seen at the Catholic Charities Guadalupe Center near downtown, a partner with the Houston Food Bank.
“The cost of those groceries has skyrocketed, just those basic necessities is no longer $50, it’s now $100 for one small basket,” said Christina Liamis.
Liamis is a single mother of an 8-month-old with specific dietary needs due to food allergies. She said Catholic Charities has helped provide nutritious food for her baby she could not otherwise afford.
“It’s hard to describe when you don’t have the funds or the ability to get the nutrition that you need, not only to feed yourself but provide for your child,” said Liamis.
Alicha Palacios said a car accident and COVID put her in a financial bind and the Catholic Charities pantry has also prevented her from going hungry.
“If it wasn’t for this program, I don’t know what I would do,” said Palacios.
The Fair Haven Food Pantry in west Houston also partners with the Houston Food Bank and has seen a large increase in demand from the previous year.
“In 2022, we served 70,000 folks and in 2023, we’re going to serve 92,000 folks this year; so that’s a 31% increase,” said Suzanne Harter, director of Serving Ministries.
Fair Haven was a drive-up food pantry during the COVID pandemic but shifted to an indoor pantry where clients can choose their groceries based on dietary needs.
“If you look at the numbers, we’re actually serving more people now than we were during COVID,” said Harter.
Harter said the pantry experienced its second highest demand of the year on Tuesday, serving 227 families in a four-hour period. Harter said the Tuesday before Thanksgiving was the only day with a higher demand.
In addition to inflation, most food bank operators said the end of additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits further fuels increased demand. The enhanced SNAP program available during the pandemic ended in February.
A recent study by the US Department of Agriculture showed Texas had the second highest rate of food insecurity in the country at the end of 2022. The study showed 15.5% of Texas families reported having low or very low food security.