>>> RIGHT NOW, MILLIONS OF OUR
FELLOW AMERICANS ARE WAITING FOR
A NEW ROUND OF MONEY FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
INCLUDING A $600 PAYMENT TO HELP
GET THEM THROUGH THIS PANDEMIC.
BUT FOR MANY, IT’S NOT GOING TO
BE ENOUGH.
ACCORDING TO FEEDING AMERICA, 1
IN 6 AMERICANS AND 1 IN 4
CHILDREN ARE LIKELY TO
EXPERIENCE FOOD INSECURITY BY
THE END OF THE YEAR.
I WANT TO TURN NOW TO THE CEO OF
FEEDING TEXAS,.
FEEDING TEXAS REPRESENTS ALL THE
FOOD BANKS ACROSS THE LONE STAR
STATE HELP INGING TO COORDINATE
THE EFFORTS.
THAT’S AN INCREASE OF 50% OVER
LAST YEAR.
YOU’RE SEEING THIS TRAGIC
SITUATION PLAY OUT EVERY DAY.
THIS NEW RELIEF PACKAGE THAT’S
LIKELY TO BECOME LAW.
HOW IS IT GOING TO HELP?
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME
ON THE SHOW.
I APPRECIATE IT.
AND I WANT TO JUST SAY THAT
THOSE NUMBERS YOU JUST CITED
UNFRPTLY ARE EVEN HIGHER IN THE
STATE OF TEXAS.
1 IN 5 FAMILIES IS FACING SOME
KIND OF FOOD INSECURITY AND 1 IN
3 CHILDREN.
WE’RE GRATEFUL FOR THE NUTRITION
PROVISIONS IN THE COVID RELIEF
BILL.
I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY IT
INCLUDES A 15% BOOST IN SNAP
BENEFITS.
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
HUNGER FIGHTING PROGRAM IN THE
COUNTRY AND MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS HAVE BEEN RELYING ON
IT THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC.
IT ALSO INCLUDES $400 MILLION IN FUNDING FOR THE EMERGENCY FOOD
FUNDING FOR THE EMERGENCY FOOD
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
WE ARE FACING A SIGNIFICANT DE
DECREASE IN FUNDING IN THAT
PROGRAM.
WE’RE EXPECTING A 50% DECREASE
AND SO THAT ADDITIONAL AID THAT
IS GOING TO BE VOTED ON TODAY IS
GOING TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT
TO HELPING US MEET THE NEED.
AND I THINK THE BIG CONCERN IS
UNTIL THOSE ADDITIONAL FOOD
SUPPLIES ARRIVE, WHAT WE’RE
SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WE’RE
GOING TO BE ABLE IT MEET THAT
NEED.
WE ANTICIPATE A $20 MILLION MEAL
GAP BETWEEN THE DEMAND WE’RE
SEEING RIGHT NOW IN COMMUNITIES
ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS AND
THE FOOD THAT WE ANTICIPATE
HAVING IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS.
SO WE ARE GRATEFUL TO OUR
ELECTED LEADERS FOR INCLUDE INGI
THE NEW TRIGS PROVISIONS WE
INCLUDED IN THE BILL, BUT ALSO
CONCERNED ABOUT HOW WE’RE GOING
MEET THE NEED IN THE COMING
MONTHS.
ALSO CONCERNED IS WILL IT LAST.
THAT IT’S GOING TO TAKE LOW
INCOME AMERICANS, MANY OF WHOM
WERE STRUGGLE INGING A LOT LONGE
THAN SIX MONTHS TO GET BACK ON
THEIR NEAT.
WE SAW LEVELS HAVE COME BACK
DOWN FOLLOWING THE GREAT
RECESSION OF 2008.
SO IT TOOK 12 YEARS FOR THOSE
NUMBERS TO COME BACK DOWN.
WE’RE ANTICIPATING TO BE IN THIS
FOR THE LONG HAUL.
WE’RE GOING TO BE SEEING
ELEVATED RATES FOR AT LEAST A
YEAR IF NOT MANY YEARS TO COME.
>> YOU MENTIONED A $20 MILLION
FOOD GAP.
WE HAVE SEEN THESE IMAGES OF
LINES OF HUNDREDS OF CARS IN
FOOD BANKS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
BUT IN TEXAS ALONE, THOUSANDS
NOW RELYING ON FOOD BANKS,
RELYING ON THEM TO FEED THEIR
FAMILIES EVERY WEEK.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE IS
NEVER BEEN TO A FOOD BANK
BEFORE.
WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM PEOPLE
PEOPLE?
WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?
>> IT’S A DID 20 MILLION MEAL
GAP.
WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS A LOT OF
NEW PEOPLE, FIRST TIME USERS OF
FOOD BANKS.
LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE ONCE
DONORS TO FOOD BANKS WERE
VOLUNTEERS IN THE FOOD LINES.
SO I THINK MOST OF ALL, WHAT’S
HARD ESTEST TO MEASURE IS JUST T
UNCERTAINTY THAT PEOPLE ARE
FEELING AND TASING.
AND THAT’S A BIG FACTOR IN FOOD
INSECURITY AND YOU NAMED IT.
IT’S NOT KNOWING WHERE YOUR NEXT
MEAL IS GOING TO COME FROM.
ARE YOU GOING TO PUT MEALS ON
THE TABLE AND PAY YOUR BILLS.
AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE SEEING AND
HEARING FROM THE PEOPLE WAITING
IN LINE FOR OUR HELP.
I THINK EQUALLY IMPORTANT A
QUESTION THOUGH IS THERE WERE 1
IN 7 TEXANS STRUGGLING WITH FOOD
INSECURITY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
WHY IS IT SO HARD FOR LOW-INCOME
AMERICANS TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
I THINK THE PANDEMIC EXPOSED A