Bill threatening SNAP cuts could mean more trouble for RGV Food Bank

The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley is closely monitoring a bill that could greatly impact many people who rely on its services.

Late Sunday evening, House Republicans advanced the bill through the Budget Committee and it is now poised for a vote in Congress ahead of Memorial Day. The bill aims to cut taxes and pour more money into the military and border security while making significant cuts to Medicaid, education, clean energy programs and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.

Lawmakers have met around the clock in an effort to move the bill to a House vote ahead of the Memorial Day deadline. If passed, the bill could require approximately $625 billion in cuts to Medicaid and $300 billion in cuts to SNAP.

“Our food bank network is gravely concerned about the impact these debilitating cuts will have in our state,” Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole said in an interview with Feeding Texas. “Families across Texas are already struggling to find affordable food and health care, pay their rent, and put gas in their cars.”

“From seniors living on fixed incomes, to veterans unable to find work, to families with children juggling a tight budget, too many Texans are hurting.”

The bill could have a profound effect on the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, which has already experienced some shortfalls following recent USDA cuts to programs that play a large role in its ability to serve a large portion of the community.

“We’re regional, so we serve a lot of people,” Omar I. Rodriguez, Food Bank RGV director of grants and government relations, said. “The thing is, we understand that we’re a part of the safety net for a lot of families, especially those that are working trying to make ends meet. So whenever something affects a part of that safety net, it’s going to put a burden and a pressure on whatever’s remaining.”

The food bank provides services to an estimated 88,000 people weekly throughout Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties.

As of April, there were a total of 134,173 SNAP recipients in Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties out of 314,724 eligible individuals, according to statistics provided by the Texas Health and Human Services website.

Those same statistics also revealed that a total of 44,633 children ages five and under, as well as 43,215 seniors, relied on SNAP in the three counties for the month of April.

Rodriguez explained that for every meal that the food bank provides, SNAP helps provide nine meals.

“So SNAP is doing a lot of the heavy lifting in federal funds that’s coming back to communities, and it offers a lot of flexibility for a lot of families,” Rodriguez said.

Food Bank RGV Inc., partnering with Brownsville Wellness Coalition and United Way of Southern Cameron County, distributes food Friday morning, Aug. 26, 2022, at the Brownsville Events Center in Brownsville. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)

He said that while the food bank offers its services between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., SNAP provides some flexibility since it allows families in need of food to go to their retailers during their respective business hours.

“SNAP offers a really flexible opportunity for families to get the food that they need,” Rodriguez said. “If we’re only providing one meal, and SNAP is providing nine, that’s a huge ratio that SNAP can help cover. So whenever there’s proposed cuts, it’s really going to impact a lot of families that need it to make ends meet.”

Rodriguez said that needy families won’t be the only ones affected if there are cuts made to SNAP. He explained that the potential cuts could have a significant economic impact on retailers as well.

“The metric here in Texas, and I’m sure you may have seen it from Feeding Texas, is that for every $1 SNAP has spent, it’s $1.54 in economic activity,” Rodriguez said.

According to the Texas Health and Human Services website, there was $57 million in benefits spent in the three counties in April. That resulted in an estimated $87 million in economic activity.

“It’s one of those things that it’s not just going to be people who are going to need to go to the food bank to get more food assistance, but some people may be affected with less work and less shifts,” Rodriguez said. “And then there’s a bunch of unknowns that’s going to happen. But definitely we’re going to have an increase in traffic at our food bank and our partner agencies.”

Anyone who would like to help the food bank may do so by making monetary donations online at foodbankrgv.com. Food donations may be dropped off at the Food Bank RGV, which is located at 724 N. Cage Blvd. in Pharr.

More information about how to help the food bank can be found by visiting foodbankrgv.com or calling (956) 682-8101.

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