The Houston Food Bank is prepared to do its job, but it needs donations and volunteers to get it done.
HOUSTON — The clock is ticking on food access for thousands of SNAP benefit recipients, and the Houston Food Bank may need to dip into its reserves to ensure people in its service area get what they need.
On Friday, government workers will see their first missed paycheck. On Nov. 1, SNAP benefits won’t be funded. The food bank is prepared to do its job, but it needs donations and volunteers to get it done.
Food insecurity impacts about a million people a day in the Houston area. Volunteers like Bethany Jackson and John Khanjani are trying to help lighten that load.
“It’s really important and it holds a special place in my heart because I was actually on the receiving end growing up,” Jackson said.
She volunteers from time to time, but volunteering for an after-school food bag program took her back to a tough time.
“In that moment everything came full circle for me and I’m, like, wow, I was a recipient of one of these bags, and I never thought it was another person helping out on the other side,” she said.
While efficiently filling veggie bags, you’d think he’s a pro, but this is Khanjani first time volunteering.
“It feels good giving back. Anything in that vein — just sign me up. When she mentioned it I was, like, yeah, right away,” Khanjani said.
The food bank is facing a ticking clock. They’re at risk of losing government funding for food used to fill bellies. Hugo Lagarda with the Houston Food Bank said every day the government shutdown lasts past Oct. 27, thousands will lose SNAP benefits.
“We need help now, especially with respect to volunteering and donations. For every dollar that you donate to the Houston Food Bank, we’re able to transform that to three meals for families,” Lagarda said.
Volunteering is simple. You can pick your volunteer time and date on the food bank’s website. Individual volunteers and groups are accepted. Right now, food bank operations are running normally, but if the shutdown continues, it’ll have to dip into its reserves. Right now, that’s stocked, too.
“This year was mild so we do have some additional reserves from the mild hurricane season this year and some reserves we received from Hurricane Beryl,” Lagarda said.
They are looking to Southeast Texas to do what they do best — stand for one another.
“It’ a blessing to be a blessing,” Khanjani said.
If the government remains closed, the food bank is planning to share its operating plan next Tuesday morning, during a news conference.
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