HOUSTON – HOUSTON — Groceries, gas, rent or medicine. For families whose paychecks don’t cover everything, food can become the expense they cut.
Houston nonprofits say more people are asking for help as household bills stretch budgets. Now, a proposal announced Tuesday by the Trump administration could leave millions of Americans without SNAP benefits, while a separate federal funding deadline raises questions about what comes next.
A Rice University Kinder Institute study found 39% of households in Houston and Harris County experienced food insecurity — nearly two in five. That means they lacked reliable access to enough food or food of adequate quality.
Texas has the nation’s largest number of people experiencing food insecurity, according to Feeding Texas. Houston Food Bank describes itself as the country’s largest food bank by size and distribution.
Julie Voss, Houston Food Bank’s chief external affairs officer, said requests for help have increased over the past year. She pointed to grocery and fuel prices as pressures on families, including people working to cover their bills.
“So 80% of the families that we serve have at least one working adult in the household,” Voss said. “So you’re talking about people who are going to work every day. They’re trying to pay their rent.”
For some families, an illness or an unexpected car repair can make it even harder to afford groceries. Voss said demand rose sharply during the pandemic and never returned to its previous level.
“The need grows every year,” Voss said. “So the need went up substantially during Covid, as you can imagine. And it went down a little bit. But it never went back to pre-COVID time.”
The organization serves Harris County and 17 surrounding counties, working with about 1,600 partners. About 700 distribute food, including churches, schools and pantries, Voss said.
One partner, Target Hunger, served more than 25,000 people in 2025 and reached nearly 10% more households than the previous year, according to figures provided by the nonprofit. Children and seniors accounted for 51% of the people it served.
Target Hunger CEO Sandra Wicoff said staff members are preparing for the holidays while meeting a need that continues throughout the year. Its pantries let people choose their groceries.
“So it’s a very dignified sort of, it’s an approach that really suits everybody because they get to pick what they want and there’s less waste and, you know, they’re more familiar with it,” Wicoff said.
The organization is also prepared to adjust if demand rises.
“We think the need is going to continue to go up and we feel that we’re ready,” Wicoff said. “We will increase pantry days, will increase hours. We’ll do whatever we can to help alleviate the food insecurity. People shouldn’t be hungry.”
What changed Tuesday?
The Trump administration proposed tightening an eligibility pathway for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps people buy groceries.
The proposal would narrow the circumstances in which receiving certain other government assistance helps a household qualify for SNAP. USDA estimates about 6.3 million people nationwide would lose benefits if the proposal takes effect. Public comments are due Dec. 10.
Voss said SNAP provides nine meals for every meal Houston Food Bank provides, illustrating how difficult it would be for charities to replace lost benefits. She also said the program supports local businesses when recipients spend their benefits at nearby grocery stores.
“So they’re they’re investing money into the community, the Walmarts, the Kroger’s, the H-E-B’s,” Voss said. “You know, I mean, that does that helps our community as well. So it it really is a critical program for not only the neighbors in need, but also the Houston economy.”
What does the Dec. 11 deadline mean?
Temporary federal funding expires Dec. 11. Congress must pass another extension or spending legislation, and the president must sign it, to avoid a funding lapse beginning Dec. 12.
The consequences for Texas SNAP deposits remain uncertain. The current law allows certain mandatory payments to continue beyond the deadline, so its expiration alone does not establish when benefits could be interrupted.
Voss said Houston Food Bank organized additional distributions for SNAP recipients when benefits were interrupted during last year’s shutdown. Community donations helped support that response.
She said the food bank lost about $11 million in federal funding in spring 2025 and had to reassess staffing and operations to keep food moving to families. About 70% of its budget comes from philanthropic support, she said.
At Target Hunger, Wicoff said the nonprofit currently receives no federal funding. It gets food and support through private donations, food drives, Houston Food Bank and local retailers.
Where to get food now
United Way of Greater Houston says people waiting for a SNAP decision should seek food assistance if they need groceries now.
Call 211, available around the clock, to connect with a specialist who can help locate pantries, meal programs and assistance navigating benefits. Houston Food Bank’s Find Food Map lets users search by ZIP code. Contact the location before visiting to confirm hours and requirements.
Target Hunger’s three pantry locations require preregistration and an appointment. Its drive-through food fairs are open to the public without an appointment. Call 832-767-1677 with questions or visit its food assistance page.
How to help
Both nonprofits welcome donations and volunteers to sort groceries and help distribute food. Sign up through Houston Food Bank or Target Hunger. Target Hunger also accepts food donations and food drives.
“We always accept donations,” Wicoff said. “We take volunteers, we take in-kind donations. There’s Amazon wish lists. There’s food drives it at workplace. Really there are so many ways to support.”
Voss said Houston Food Bank hopes to bring in 100,000 individual volunteers this year. Volunteers help divide bulk food into portions that can be distributed through its partners.
“So if you haven’t been a volunteer, it is really meaningful,” Voss said. “But it’s also really fun. So if you don’t want to go shopping on Black Friday, we are open on on the Friday after Thanksgiving and would love to have families come in, volunteer.”
Houston Food Bank also offers advocacy updates for people who want to contact lawmakers about food assistance.
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
Dining and Cooking