Brittany Kelley
HAYS COUNTY — According to Texas Health and Human Services (HHS), the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was not issued Nov. 1, due to the ongoing government shutdown. To aid the more than 7,300 households in Hays County that were affected, organizations and community members are coming together.
SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps, according to Hays County Food Bank executive director Lisa Young, is a program created by the federal government that provides money for food to families in need.
“People who are eligible get the benefit sent to a debit card that they can use at grocery retailers. They can go to H-E-B; they can go to Walmart with this and they have X amount of dollars each month to spend from that, so they can make it through the month,” explained Young.
Although AP News reported that two federal judges ruled Oct. 31 that the Trump Administration must continue to pay for SNAP using emergency reserve funds, throughout the government shutdown, as of Nov. 4, the benefits have yet to be distributed. SNAP serves approximately one in eight Americans, amounting to nearly $8 million per month nationally. As of press time, the HHS Commission is monitoring federal activity related to SNAP benefits, according to its website.
These individuals that qualify for SNAP also meet the requirements to receive food from the HCFB.
“You have to remember that for every meal the food bank provides, SNAP is providing nine. So, this is a 90% food gap that’s coming [when] SNAP goes away. There’s no way the food bank system across the nation can indefinitely cover this loss,” Young emphasized. “That would be 7,300 households in Hays and more than 16,000 individuals. It’s about 15% of our school kids.”
Currently, HCFB feeds approximately 3,000 families per week, so this would more than double the need, said the director.
In an effort to aid additional families, HCFB will be opening up extra distribution slots throughout the month. Young stated that HCFB works as a market, so families can select a time and visit once a month to fill a cart with any food they may need. The food bank is hoping to add 100 slots to feed as many households as possible, she said.
To sign up for HCFB resources, families must visit the organization’s location at 1612 South IH-35 Frontage Road, San Marcos, to fill out an application, which is all self-report, and make an appointment.
For community members looking for a way to help, Young stated that HCFB is always in need of volunteers. For more information or to donate, visit www.haysfoodbank.org.
“We take care of each other. We need to take care of our neighbors. This is a very important thing. I hate to think of a classroom where 15% of the kids haven’t eaten,” said Young. “The other thing that really does affect the community, even outside of the people that are using the benefit, is that that money doesn’t stop [at the food]. It keeps circulating through our economy. So, when millions of dollars are taken out of that, it’s going to affect everyone because that money didn’t just go to a family. The credit to buy the food went to the family and then, the retailer — whether it be H-E-B or Walmart or Sam’s [Club] — they’re getting reimbursed and they’re using that money for all their expenses, for vendors and payroll and stuff like that. So, removing this one from our economy is harmful to everyone.”
Buda resident Ashlee Springer-Pearson took taking care of each other to heart when she noticed that mothers in her community were beginning to ask how others were preparing to feed their children without SNAP.
“I’ve been a single mom myself and not knowing exactly how I was going to feed my kid and I know that fear, so it just triggered something in me to try to help,” said Springer-Pearson.
Without a plan, the mother posted on Facebook asking for any ideas on how she could help her neighbors: “I’m thinking of having a small ‘pantry’ in my garage to help anyone in need. Would anyone be willing to help me with that?”
By the end of the day, she stated that several community members had donated food or money to aid with the effort.
From there, mothers in need messaged her and she took the money donated, along with some of her own, to shop for specific requests — such as gallons of milk, ground beef and eggs — while supplementing the box with nonperishables from neighbors.
“I’ve just asked them their family dynamic, so that I know how many kids are in their family, how many adults are in their family and what would be the most helpful to them,” Springer-Pearson explained. “I’m packing it all up and organizing it and then, having them come and pick it up from my house and I just take it out to them in their car … There’s no vetting process and that may lead to somebody who doesn’t really need any help saying that they do, but that’s not my cross the bear. That’s theirs. So, if somebody asks me for help, I’m going to help them.”
Getting emotional, Springer-Pearson explained that she was able to help a mother, who had escaped a domestic violence situation and had several small children. The mother was putting herself through school and working, but had no family nearby, since she moved to a place where her children would be safe. Springer-Pearson stated that the mother was extremely grateful for the food she was able to provide.
Her goal is to help as many families as she can, while she can, as this isn’t something that she can do long-term, Springer-Pearson said.
“If we don’t [help each other], who will? Somebody’s got to help,” she emphasized. “You see something and think, ‘Why doesn’t somebody do something about that?’ Well, I am somebody.”
Families in need of assistance can contact Springer-Pearson at [email protected].
