Food Insecurity /tags/food-insecurity Food Insecurity en-US Copyright KUT News 2025 Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:23:33 GMT Texas won't offer a program to help feed kids over the summer. Advocates push for change next year. /health/2025-03-11/texas-summer-ebt-program-groceries-hunger-feed-children Texas is one of about a dozen states that won't be participating in a federal program that provides families with $120 per eligible child to buy groceries while school is out. Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:23:33 GMT /health/2025-03-11/texas-summer-ebt-program-groceries-hunger-feed-children Becky Fogel $17.8 million in food funding for Austin-area kids is on the line when the Legislature convenes /education/2025-01-13/17-8-millones-de-financiamiento-para-alimentar-a-menores-del-area-de-austin-en-juego-en-la-legislatura While Texas missed the Jan. 1 deadline to confirm whether it will participate in the federal food assistance program, federal officials say there’s still time to get on board. Summer EBT could bring nearly $18 million in aid to families in the Austin area if the state launches the program. Mon, 13 Jan 2025 11:03:00 GMT /education/2025-01-13/17-8-millones-de-financiamiento-para-alimentar-a-menores-del-area-de-austin-en-juego-en-la-legislatura Becky Fogel Advocates worry Texas will miss out on millions to prevent child hunger for second year in a row /education/2024-12-19/texas-child-hunger-summer-ebt-program-2025-food-assistance-austin-tx Texas was one of 13 states last year that did not participate in a new federal program providing eligible families with $120 per child over the summer to help pay for groceries while school is out. The state must say whether it plans to participate in the Summer EBT program by Jan. 1. Thu, 19 Dec 2024 18:53:09 GMT /education/2024-12-19/texas-child-hunger-summer-ebt-program-2025-food-assistance-austin-tx Becky Fogel New poll finds it's getting harder for Texas families to afford groceries /texas/2024-09-05/no-kid-hungry-texas-food-2024-hunger-survey More than half of families with school-aged children faced food insecurity over the last year. Parents also said concerns over whether they can afford nutritious food for their households is taking a toll on their mental health. Thu, 05 Sep 2024 10:01:00 GMT /texas/2024-09-05/no-kid-hungry-texas-food-2024-hunger-survey Becky Fogel 'Demand has just gone up and up': Food banks struggle to keep up post-pandemic /health/2024-07-08/hays-county-food-bank-demand-austin-food-insecurity The Hays County Food Bank is relocating to a bigger space to accommodate the growing need for its services. The food bank expects to distribute more food this year than ever before. Mon, 08 Jul 2024 10:01:00 GMT /health/2024-07-08/hays-county-food-bank-demand-austin-food-insecurity Maya Fawaz Here are the Austin-area schools providing free meals over the summer /education/2024-05-24/austin-texas-free-summer-meals-school Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said last summer, participating sites served more than 13 million meals statewide. Dozens of schools in Central Texas will be offering free meals starting in late May and early June. Fri, 24 May 2024 10:03:00 GMT /education/2024-05-24/austin-texas-free-summer-meals-school Becky Fogel An Austin-area food bank wants students to get healthy meals, so it opened a food pantry at a school /education/2024-01-25/del-valle-food-pantry-school The Central Texas Food Bank officially launched its Feeding Futures School Pantry Program at a Del Valle ISD elementary school on Wednesday. The organization hopes to provide 30 meals per student each month. Thu, 25 Jan 2024 11:00:00 GMT /education/2024-01-25/del-valle-food-pantry-school Becky Fogel Most states are rolling out a new summer food assistance program for kids. Texas isn’t one of them. /education/2024-01-05/most-states-are-rolling-out-a-new-summer-food-assistance-program-for-kids-texas-isnt-one-of-them State agencies said the U.S. Department of Agriculture did not provide enough information in time for Texas to implement the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer Program in 2024. Fri, 05 Jan 2024 18:23:51 GMT /education/2024-01-05/most-states-are-rolling-out-a-new-summer-food-assistance-program-for-kids-texas-isnt-one-of-them Becky Fogel Austin restaurants are banding together to help Camp Esperanza during the holidays /austin/2023-12-01/austin-restaurants-are-banding-together-to-help-camp-esperanza-during-the-holidays Portions of the proceeds from more than a dozen businesses will be donated to the longtime haven for Austinites trying to get out of homelessness. Fri, 01 Dec 2023 22:04:16 GMT /austin/2023-12-01/austin-restaurants-are-banding-together-to-help-camp-esperanza-during-the-holidays Andrew Weber More Austin ISD students will eat breakfast for free after Texas ups funding for school meals /education/2023-07-17/more-austin-isd-students-will-eat-breakfast-for-free-after-texas-ups-funding-for-school-meals The Texas Legislature is spending $6.6 million over the next two years to cover the cost of breakfast for students who qualify for reduced-price meals. The new funding is going to benefit about 1,800 students in Austin ISD. Mon, 17 Jul 2023 11:03:00 GMT /education/2023-07-17/more-austin-isd-students-will-eat-breakfast-for-free-after-texas-ups-funding-for-school-meals Becky Fogel