The reopening of the government after the longest shutdown in history means SNAP recipients will receive their November benefits, but the shutdown put a spotlight on food insecurity in the area.
“This is not a one time occurrence. Here in East Texas, there’s over 250,000 households that we consider food insecure,” said Rebecca Berkley, director of marketing at the East Texas Food Bank (ETFB). “One in five East Texans, one in four children are food insecure. And it’s not just a holiday thing. It’s not just because of the government shutdown. It’s all the time.”
The ETFB serves 26 counties in East Texas, including Bowie County. They and Harvest Regional Food Bank are part of the nationwide Feeding America program which services 200 food banks and about 60,000 food pantries and programs to service individuals and families facing hunger.
