North Texas Food Bank

Starting April 1, Texans won't be able to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits to purchase "candy or sweetened drinks." Texas retailers and nonprofits have spent month preparing for the new restrictions — but some recipients may not know until they're checking out at the store.

With more that 1.3 million people struggling to access meals in North Texas, schools and food banks are launching holiday mean programs to support students and families facing rising costs.

As the federal government shutdown continues, food banks and community organizations are under more pressure to meet the increased need for food assistance and resources. Dallas County commissioners approved a $1 million donation to the North Texas Food Bank to help address that need.

The North Texas Food Bank reaches 12 counties and services approximately 460,000 people.

The North Texas Food back is preparing to see a rise in demand for services as federal funding dries out due to ongoing government shutdown.

More than five dozen groups — including United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the Tarrant Area Food Bank — wrote in support of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's request for $300 million to improve processing times for Medicaid and SNAP applications.

During summer months, children across the county struggle with food insecurity. However, food banks and school districts alike are helping provide meals for young people.

A Feeding America report found almost 1 in 4 Texas households with children are food insecure, with almost 1.7 million children at risk of getting inadequate nutrition.

The University of North Texas at Dallas and the North Texas Food Bank teamed up to address food insecurity in the surrounding neighborhood with a mobile food pantry and on campus with a care pantry.

Inflation and the end of pandemic-era spending has more Texans turning to food banks that have faced cuts and struggle to meet increased need with declining resources.

Two food banks serving Dallas-Fort Worth organized a pop-up food distribution as inflation continues to strain family finances.

Advocates say racial disparities in food insecurity continue to affect many children in Texas.