PUBLIC BENEFITS: FOOD/NUTRITION
The center focuses on health care access, immigrants' access to services, food and nutrition, the state's eligibility and enrollment system, and TANF.
Recent Food/Nutrition Publications
Statement: New Report Shows Texas Falls Short in Summer Meal Programs (06/8/2012)
The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) released a national analysis today that shows Texas’ participation in the Summer Food Programs remains low. Only 9.4 percent of low-income kids received summer meals on an average day in July 2011, according to the Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation report. Texas’ poor performance, which is lower than the national average of 1 in 7, means missed meals for children and missed dollars for the state. Texas families can find nearby summer meal sites and more information by calling 2-1-1 or through the Texas Department of Agriculture’s website.
The Center Joins Anti-Hunger Partners to Launch Texas Hunger Research Project Website (06/7/2012)
The center is excited to join with our partners to launch a new website, the Texas Hunger Research Project.
The website is maintained through a collaborative effort between three Texas anti-hunger organizations: Texas Hunger Initiative at Baylor University, the Texas Food Bank Network, and CPPP. The site will serve as a clearinghouse for hunger and nutrition-related data, research, and publications. County and state-level statistics on participation in federal nutrition assistance programs along with other relevant indicators will be available and updated as new data is released.
Encouraging Healthy Food Purchases: Alternatives to Restricting Choices in SNAP (05/30/2012)
While the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides low-income Americans with resources they need to avoid going hungry, it can also be an important contributor to the fight against obesity. Recent research has found that the more SNAP benefits a household received, the more their vegetable, dairy, and meat consumption improved. Low-income Americans who are not participating in the SNAP program or receive relatively low levels of SNAP benefits have been found to be at a significantly higher risk of being overweight or obese than those on the program.
HHSC Enhances Online Eligibility Portal (05/23/2012)
In April, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) launched the newest version of its web-based, “self-service benefit portal.” The new self-service portal is designed to streamline the way that eligibility for benefits is determined. At YourTexasBenefits.com, clients can access information about their application status or benefits from any computer, anytime.
HHSC Enhances Online Eligibility Portal (05/23/2012)
In April, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) launched the newest version of its web-based, “self-service benefit portal.” The new self-service portal is designed to streamline the way that eligibility for benefits is determined. At YourTexasBenefits.com, clients can access information about their application status or benefits from any computer, anytime.
School Budget Cuts Threaten to Increase Summer Childhood Hunger (05/10/2012)
Texas households experience food insecurity at a rate of nearly 19 percent (one of the highest in the nation). Kids without access to meals are less likely to perform well in school and more likely to be at risk of poor health. While most children have access to meals during the year through the national school lunch program, participation in summer nutrition programs is drastically low, causing food insecurity rates to jump during summer months.
Cuts to SNAP Will Hurt Texas Families Struggling to Afford Food (04/19/2012)
The center on yesterday’s vote by the U.S. House of Representative’s Agriculture Committee to cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps).
“Yesterday’s vote by the U.S. House of Representative’s Agriculture Committee to cut SNAP by $33 billion will hurt the families struggling to afford food in this time of high unemployment and economic distress. A cut of this magnitude would affect over 300,000 Texas families who will struggle to put food on the table without the support SNAP provides. SNAP was designed to expand when unemployment is high and contract as economic conditions improve. In this way the program assures that Texans stay healthy during period of job loss and stimulates our struggling economy. Cuts to this program will only weaken our nation’s ability to weather these rough economic times and return to prosperity."
The center on the Congressional House Government Oversight Committee hearing on fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps).
“The Center for Public Policy Priorities shares the federal government’s commitment to safeguard taxpayer dollars and applauds USDA’s success, in partnership with the states, at reducing SNAP fraud to historic lows. Given its efficiency and effectiveness at preventing hunger and reducing food insecurity, we call on Congress to maintain its investment in SNAP and reject any efforts to cut benefits or otherwise undermine the program’s ability to fight hunger.
“SNAP, which helps low-income individuals and families supplement their food resources, is critical in Texas where one in six families struggle to afford food. Over three-quarters of the 3.6 million Texans who receive SNAP benefits are children, seniors, or persons with disabilities. To qualify, a family’s net earnings must be below the federal poverty level, $22,350 for a family of four. The majority of SNAP households include someone who works, and program rules require all able-bodied adults to work to receive benefits."
Feeding Minds: Texas Takes on Hunger and Obesity (02/22/2012)
"Feeding Minds: Texas Takes on Hunger and Obesity" is a documentary film that explores the overlapping challenges of childhood hunger and obesity, and what seven cities in Texas are doing to solve this problem.
New Report on School Breakfast Shows Texas Outperforms Most States; Houston ISD Ranks 3rd Among America’s Big Cities (01/30/2012)
Two new national reports on the National School Breakfast Program demonstrate Texas’ strong commitment to improving the nutrition, health, and academic achievement of its students by providing them a nutritious start to the school day.
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