Each year, the month of September is designated as Hunger Awareness Month as a way to educate and mobilize communities in the fight against hunger. This important awareness month is organized by Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger-relief program in the United States. Through its extensive network of 200 food banks and over 58,000 food pantries and meal service programs, the Feeding America organization helps fight against hunger in every community across the country. In our area, this network includes the Food Bank of Corpus Christi (FBCC) which services Corpus Christi and Port Aransas. In today’s article, I would like to share information on this important awareness month as well as some of the ways you can get involved in the fight against hunger.
In addition to its network of food banks, pantries and programs, Feeding America also helps to raise awareness about hunger through research and education. According to a study released by the organization in 2014, one out of every seven Americans – over 46 million people – suffers from hunger in the United States. This total includes 12 million children and seven million seniors. Researchers also found that Nueces County has a food insecurity rate of 13.6 percent. This means that over 46,000 people live in a home defined by the United States Department of Agriculture as having ‘limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.’
In our area, our local Food Bank (FBCC) has helped to serve those living with hunger in 11 counties across South Texas and in the Coastal Bend since 1982. The Food Bank of Corpus Christi estimates that it feeds up to 7,800 people per week. In addition to servicing over 150 agencies and programs in the area, the FBCC also operates several programs focused on providing food for children and educating the community on proper nutrition. To learn more about this worthwhile organization, please visit the Food Bank of Corpus Christi.
During this year’s Hunger Action Month, I hope you will join me in the fight against hunger. As an active participant in Hunger Action Month, the FBCC provides information on the ways to get involved locally during this year’s campaign at Hunger Action Month. You can also find more information by visiting Feeding America as well as read more about the issue of hunger.
If you would like to review more about the legislature, please visit the Texas Legislature Online. If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office; 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
