Eric Bloodsaw spotted the table with chili Sunday afternoon from across a parking lot in South Dallas. He almost could not believe it.
The 44-year-old man said he has eaten little in recent days. With continued uncertainty over funding for federal food benefits, Bloodsaw has not been able to afford much food. To stay full, he increased his water intake by several glasses a day.
“I was hungry,” he said. “I’ve been praying for food today.”
Bloodsaw was among the scores of people who stumbled across a popup dinner giveaway Sunday by Our Giving Kitchen, a Dallas nonprofit that prepares fresh, homemade meals for those in need.
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The government shutdown has placed food assistance for some 42 million Americans in peril. In Texas, 3.5 million people rely on Supplemental Food Assistance and Nutrition Program, known as SNAP. Two federal judges have told the Trump administration that it must partially or fully fund the food benefits, but it is not clear if the president will comply.
Volunteers chop carrots and bell peppers for Our Giving Kitchen on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Dallas. The kitchen opened 10 months ago.
Christine Vo / Staff Photographer
That doubt has left thousands across Dallas/Fort Worth unsure when they will have money to purchase food. Nonprofits, food banks and communities are racing to help.
Community leaders distributed barbecue chicken and baked beans Sunday at the Faithful Missionary Baptist Church in Oak Cliff. Others ditched Halloween candy this year and instead handed out ramen and boxed mac and cheese.
On Sunday, more than 30 volunteers with Our Giving Kitchen gathered to cook chili, couscous and coleslaw to feed 750 people across South Dallas. The nonprofit, which aims to bring young professionals together for a shared purpose, typically works with food banks and community centers.
“We are trying to step in and fill the gap,” said Rabbi Mendy Plotkin, director of the nonprofit, which is a nondenominational extension of the Jewish community. “We decided to take food directly to the streets this time.”
The cutoff comes as food prices are already squeezing American families, and thousands of federal workers are going without pay due to the government shutdown.
A loss or delay in SNAP benefits could hit Texas, with the country’s highest rate of food insecurity, particularly hard. More than 5 million people, roughly 17.6% of the population, are considered food insecure, according to Feeding America.
On average, SNAP recipients receive $187 a month, or about $6 a day. In Texas, recipients receive an average of $379 a month via a Lone Star Card to use at grocery stores.
Ricky Wade, 68, who lives in Pleasant Grove, said he gets $95 a month in SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. That money does not go far, so he relies largely on food pantries for groceries. That reliance will grow this month if SNAP benefits dry up.
“A lot of people are stuck in a rut,” said Wade, who tucked a bottled orange juice under his arm while holding the container of chili. “We’re grateful for the help.”
Grabbing his container of chili, Bloodsaw pondered how long this food would last him. At least two days, he decided. He said he is not sure how he will pay for food the rest of the month without his nearly $300 in benefits, but he will figure something out.
“Blessings are coming,” he told volunteers. “God bless you.”