For Immediate Release: 11/25/14
Contact: Celia Cole, 512.590.0659 or ccole@feedingtexas.org
Austin – Thanksgiving is a pertinent time to focus public attention on the prevalence of hunger in Texas and the ways we can help our neighbors in need. Below are some resources for members of the media who are covering hunger this holiday season.
How many are hungry in Texas?
The most rigorous measure of hunger in Texas is the "household food insecurity rate" calculated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
According to the latest report, 18% of Texas households (one in six) experienced food insecurity in the years 2011-2013. Texas was one of just eight states with higher food insecurity than the nation during this period. In raw numbers, 1.7 million Texas households were food insecure, more than any other state except California.
Learn the proper way to describe food insecurity here.
How many are hungry in my community?
Experts at the national organization Feeding America have estimated the prevalence of food insecurity among individuals and children in every Texas county. To find food insecurity rates for your county, visit their website.
Who goes hungry in my community? What are their needs?
Feeding Texas offers two tools to visualize local populations and their needs. Our Hunger Atlas looks at the relationship between food insecurity, income, and food resources for struggling families in each Texas county. Our SNAPShot tool displays the demographics of SNAP (aka food stamps) recipients in most Texas zip codes.
What can we do to help our neighbors in need?
We ask two things of our supporters:
Give. Donate what you can, but if you have a choice, give money. Cash has a longer shelf life, can be leveraged by your food bank to purchase greater amounts, and can be meted out to cover year-long needs. Contact your local food bank to make a donation of food, time, or money.
Speak up. Consider raising your voice to advance solutions to hunger. Creating a hunger-free Texas is possible, but only if we all work together. If you care about seeing your neighbors healthy, nourished and productive, then tell your elected officials to make hunger a priority and support their food bank.
Feeding Texas leads a unified effort for a hunger-free Texas. Learn more and find your local food bank at www.feedingtexas.org.