AUSTIN (KXAN) — Over 530,000 people are food insecure in Central Texas, and one in five children are at risk of hunger, according to the Central Texas Food Bank.
The Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) serves 21 counties in the Central Texas region.
This region alone has a 16.4% rate of food insecurity. This means 530,000 individuals in this region suffer from food insecurity and are at risk of going hungry.
The CTFB reported that Texas ranked number two in the country in terms of food insecurity. They said they see this as a “severe issue.”
“We have higher than average rates of food insecurity here in our Central Texas region for the state of Texas. So it is a big challenge, and that’s why we want to get the word out, through Hunger Action month,” said Mark Jackson, the chief development officer at the Central Texas Food Bank.
Last week on Hunger Action Day, Sept. 10, the CTFB teamed up with Feeding America in an initiative to raise awareness on the issue of hunger in our area. They encouraged community members to participate by showing support and wearing orange, donating, advocating and volunteering.
“There is so many different ways that you can get involved. The simplest way is, is donating. We can leverage a donation and provide so many meals with just a small gift,” Jackson said.
The food bank works to educate the community on public policies and legislation that impacts people’s ability to access food.
“We just need to do more. We’re still falling short of meeting the need,” Jackson said.
The CTFB is always out in the community searching for donations and food resources. They work closely with retail partners like HEB on food rescue programs.
“We’re spending right now $1.1 million a month purchasing fresh produce and other shelf-stable items to make sure that we have food in our warehouse that we can distribute to our network of 250 partner agencies,” Jackson said.
The CTFB said it appreciates how the community continues to step up and ensure that they have those resources. “When they donate money, it means that we can stretch that dollar so much further,” Jackson said.
Ways you can help
The CTFB has an online toolkit for you to download and advocate by sharing with your friends. CTFB is also always looking for donations and volunteers at their warehouses and in the kitchen.