"It helps that we are not just getting rice and noodles and things that are calorie rich but nutrient poor.”
- Amie, wife and mother.
This is something we hear quite often. Unfortunately, our Partner Agencies cannot always provide the nutritious items needed by their clients. When we surveyed our clients last year, fresh fruits and vegetables was at the top of the list of foods they would like to receive more of at our agencies.
This session, Feeding Texas and its member food banks are asking the legislature for an increase in funding for the Texans Feeding Texans Surplus Agriculture Grant program and the Brighter Bites program. Both of these programs are part of Feeding Texas’ greater strategy to increase produce distribution and consumption among food banks and their clients. The request this session is for the Surplus Agriculture Grant program to be increased from $2.9 million to $18 million, and the Brighter Bites program to be increased from $600,000 to $2 million — an overall funding request of $20 million.
Read the testimony to the House Appropriations Subcomittee by Feeding Texas CEO, Celia Cole.
The Capital Area Food Bank is expected to receive 1.5 million pounds of produce this fiscal year under the Texans Feeding Texans program. If the network is successful, Feeding Texas will be able to significantly increase the amount of funding the Capital Area Food Bank has to purchase produce to 10 million pounds.
That’s more healthy produce that our Partners will be able to get in the hands of their clients.
Although the Food Bank does not currently have the Brighter Bites program, it hopes with additional funding it can expand it to the Central Texas area. This innovative nutrition education and produce distribution program geared towards children and their families has seen a lot of success in increasing food literacy and decreasing obesity.
How you can advocate increasing access to nutritious food for Central Texans in need:
Contact your legislator, especially if they are members of the Senate Finance or House Appropriations committees: Senator Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham; Senator Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown. Senator Kirk Watson, D- Austin; Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin; Rep. Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock; Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin. For a directory of legislators and their contact information, visit our Advocacy page.
Ask them to support the expansion of the Texans Feeding Texans Surplus Agriculture Grant program and the Brighter Bites program.
We have a great opportunity this session to increase access to healthier food for our clients. Let’s make it happen!
