MANVEL, Texas – As the federal government raises new questions about the integrity of SNAP benefits, one Brazoria County community isn’t waiting for Washington to fix it.
Manvel residents and businesses have raised $20,000 to help families who say they need help right now.
The initiative began when Manvel Mayor Dan Davis contributed $5,000 of his own money after being inspired by a similar effort from Marion, Indiana, Mayor Ronald Morrell.
The donation quickly multiplied through community support, including a matching $5,000 contribution from Manvel ER, a healthcare facility still under construction in the area.
“Our facility is not yet built yet, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t participate and help out the community in ways in which they need it,” said Kristin Kappler, the facility director at Manvel ER.
“This is really the community stepping up where the federal government has, will, and is failing us,” Davis said.
The effort comes as USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced widespread concerns about SNAP benefit fraud.
In an interview on Newsmax last Friday, Secretary Rollins discussed data from 29 states that revealed more than 186,000 deceased Americans still receiving benefits, with half a million recipients collecting SNAP money twice monthly.
“It’s going to give us a platform and trajectory to fundamentally rebuild this program, have everyone re-apply for their benefit, make sure everyone who is taking a taxpayer funded benefit, through SNAP or food stamps, that they literally are vulnerable or can’t survive without it,” Rollins said.
While Texas SNAP recipients already must reapply every six months, there’s no timeline yet for the proposed national reapplication process.
The Manvel gift card initiative will distribute $100 H-E-B grocery store gift cards to 202 families on Tuesday.
However, the need far exceeds the available assistance.
“We had over 1,600 people that signed up saying that they needed help,” Davis said. “I expect that God can do big things and that when you believe and you have faith that miracles can happen.”
If you’d like to help a neighbor in need, you can reach Mayor Davis by messaging his Facebook page.