Eagle Editorial Board
The number of people who need assistance from a Texas food bank last year was up 45 percent from just five years ago, a report on hunger in Texas issued Tuesday shows. Even more startling, the number of children 18 and younger helped by a food bank climbed 85 percent in that same period.
The study by the Texas Food Bank Network, Feeding America and the research firm Mathematica shows
3 million Texans, including 1.2 million children, received food directly from a food bank or through an affiliated food pantry or agency.
The report indicates that 53 percent of food bank clients last year had to choose between buying food or paying for utilities, 37 percent had to choose between food and medicine and 42 percent had to choose between food or paying rent. Terrible choices all.
A report issued last week said that more than one in five Texans is unsure where their next meal will come from. Here in the Brazos Valley, the number is even greater.
Fortunately for our hungry neighbors in this area, the Brazos Valley Food Bank does a magnificent job at helping put food on their table.
In 2009, the Brazos Valley Food Bank distributed 3 million pounds of food to 48,000 individuals in 17,000 different households. Of those, 19,600 -- 41 percent -- were children 18 and younger. Twelve percent of the recipients are senior citizens.
Food bank officials think they would have to distribute some 4.6 million pounds of food annually to meet the needs of 60,000 hungry residents of the Brazos Valley counties served, a goal they hope to reach within two years.
To work toward that goal, the Brazos Valley Food Bank relies on the great generosity of the people in this area who each year donate tons of food and large amounts of dollars through the annual Food for Families food drive and other smaller drives. This week, there are two great -- and easy -- ways to continue to help.
On Saturday, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts will conduct their annual Scouting for Food drive through the Souper Bowl of Caring program in Bryan and College Station.
Last weekend, they left bags and information cards at homes throughout the community, inviting people to fill the bags and leave them by their front door on Saturday.
Items especially needed include peanut butter, canned meats and tuna fish, canned fruits and vegetables, soup, stew, cereal, granola bars and pasta and sauce. Really, though, any non-perishable food item helps feed those who are hungry -- and don't be afraid to use more than one bag.
Some of the cards handed out with the bags indicate that the food will go to the Houston Food Bank, but this is an error. The Houston Food Bank supplied the cards, but all the food collected will stay here at the Brazos Valley Food Bank.
The second way to help is even easier. H-E-B and Kroger grocery stores in College Station and Bryan are participating in the Souper Bowl of Caring through Sunday's NFL Super Bowl.
The stores have prepackaged bags of needed items ready to be delivered to the Brazos Valley Food Bank. Shoppers pick up as many as they want, pay for them at checkout and they will be delivered to the Junior League Center in Bryan for delivery to one of the 40 partners and agencies of the food bank.
Or, shoppers may make a donation at the register, which will allow the food bank to purchase items it needs to provide nutritious food to recipients. The food bank is able to leverage every dollar donated into $5 worth of food.
Most of us are fortunate enough, even in tough economic times, to feed our families. For those who can't, we can help the Brazos Valley Food Bank help them.
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