'counting Pennies': Houston Families Seek Food Aid As Snap Hangs In Limbo

HOUSTON — Before dawn Saturday, vehicles started lining up astatine NRG Stadium arsenic nan Houston Food Bank prepared to unfastened a large-scale “supersite” to administer nutrient to families worried astir nan early of national assistance.

The site, modeled aft nan drive-thru events deployed during nan Covid-19 pandemic, was group up to service astir 5,000 families, supplying them pinch produce, stiff chickenhearted and different family staples.

Angelina Alonzo said she arrived astatine 5 a.m., hoping to beryllium 1 of nan first successful line. She typically receives $400 a period successful Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, aliases SNAP, benefits, which she uses to provender her children and grandchildren, she said — but her costs for November person not arrived, leaving her pinch nary prime but to sojourn nan stadium Saturday.

“It intends paying much money retired of your pockets,” she said from nan driver’s broadside model of her car arsenic she waited. “If you don’t person it, you person to find location to get money to proviso for nan children.”

Also successful statement was Armando Hinojosa, who said that moreover erstwhile SNAP benefits are available, stretching them to nan extremity of nan period is simply a challenge.

“By nan extremity of nan 2nd week of nan month, you’re counting pennies and conscionable trying to make ends meet,” Hinojosa said.

The urgent request for nutrient assistance comes arsenic immoderate 42 cardinal Americans hole for lapses successful SNAP. Earlier this week, the Agriculture Department warned that backing could tally retired if nan authorities shutdown continues. While a Rhode Island judge has ordered nan management to support backing SNAP nationwide and President Donald Trump said he instructed lawyers to reappraisal nan issue, galore households are bracing for delays arsenic November payments are group to begin.

Texas has nan highest food-insecure organization successful nan U.S., pinch astir 5.3 cardinal struggling to spend accordant meals, according to nan nonprofit Feeding Texas. Around 3.5 cardinal of them, including 1.7 cardinal children, trust connected SNAP benefits to get by, lawmakers say.

In Harris County, location to overmuch of Houston, much than 300,000 group trust connected SNAP and astir 650,000 are eligible, according to Texas Health and Human Services.

On Saturday greeting successful Houston, cars kept their trunks unfastened arsenic volunteers dropped disconnected nan much-needed food.

Brian Greene, nan CEO of nan Houston Food Bank, said nan segment unfolding Saturday echoed what his squad saw astatine nan tallness of nan pandemic — but this time, nan origin is “man-made.”

“The past clip you saw scenes for illustration this was during Covid, wherever nan nutrient banks astir nan state had to measurement up and these supersite-style distributions were really reasonably common,” Greene said. “But that was quality hitting us. This is nine making a horrible mistake.”

Greene said nan nutrient slope tin thief capable nan spread temporarily, but warned that moreover large-scale efforts for illustration this 1 cannot meet nan request if SNAP payments stop.

“It’s not going to beryllium capable but astatine slightest will thief them immoderate arsenic they effort and upwind done these times,” he said.

Amanda Grosdidier, executive head of nan Houston Texans Foundation, said nan request “is bigger than we ever could’ve imagined.” The Houston Texans Foundation collaborated pinch nan Houston Food Bank for Saturday’s nutrient distribution.

“When we heard nan numbers, we were wholly blown distant to spot really galore group really request thief and families that person ne'er had to inquire for thief that are having to really inquire for thief correct now,” Grosdidier told NBC News. “It’s beautiful sad to see.”

Hinojosa and his wife, Kathy, said if nan SNAP benefits do not resume, they will person to set their budget.

“We conscionable person to conscionable recalibrate, man, and conscionable spot what benignant of thief is retired location that we tin return advantage of,” Hinojosa said.