TEXAS — For many people, eating three meals a day is something they rarely think twice about, but a new Feeding America report shows that’s not the reality for many families across North Texas.
“I hope that by announcing the map, the meal gap study, people become more aware and want to take action in their own community,” Julie Butner with the Tarrant Area Food Bank said.
One in four children in the Dallas-Fort Worth area live in households that don’t always know where their next meal is coming from.
“What’s most alarming about that, is that has grown. Last year it was one in five children,” Sarah Burns with the North Texas Food Bank said.
And the need stretches far beyond children. The report estimates more than 6 million Texans are food insecure. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, that number has grown to nearly 1.4 million people.
“This is the third year in a row that we have the largest population of food insecure people in the country,” Butner said.
The number of Texans experiencing food insecurity has increased about 11% from the previous year.
Food bank leaders say the biggest reason is the rising cost of living. As housing, groceries, childcare and utility bills continue to climb, more families are finding it difficult to afford enough food.
“Most of the folks that come to see us in the charitable food system are absolutely working, sometimes more than one job,” Butner said. “We’ve never seen double-digit food cost increases in this country. Never. And now that’s happening.”
Butner and Burns said they’re working to meet that growing need, providing millions of meals every year through their network of community partners. But they also said food banks can’t solve this challenge on their own.
“Please come down to your local food bank or partner agency or nonprofit. Help distribute. Better understand the issues so you can help us advocate for policy and system changes that help reduce those food insecurity rates,” Butner said.