United Against Hunger in the Rio Grande Valley

As the summer approaches, there's an important issue that weighs heavily on our minds here at United Way of Southern Cameron County - making sure kids in our community don't go hungry when school meals aren't available.

This year brings added challenges, as Texas opted not to implement the federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program citing capacity issues. This $2.5 billion initiative provides low-income families with $120 per child to purchase groceries during the summer months. By declining to take part, Texas is passing up $450 million in federal funding that could have supplemented millions of families while their kids are out of school. While the Texas Department of Agriculture is expanding its summer meals programs, these have limited reach compared to providing families direct food purchasing assistance.

The reality is, far too many families struggle to keep enough nutritious food on the table. In our community, a staggering 28.2% of children face food insecurity. That means over a quarter of kids aren't getting the full, healthy meals they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Food insecurity can be tough to detect. Most children do have some food to eat but they don't have enough, or the right kinds of foods to properly fuel their growing bodies and minds.

Just think about that - during the school year, our children are guaranteed to receive two square meals per day through school meal programs. But what happens when those programs go away for three months over summer break? That's when the real risk of hunger sets in for kids living in food-insecure households. For parents already stretched thin, having a network of trusted food resources allows them to allocate more of their limited funds to other critical expenses. Most importantly, it ensures their children can continue accessing enough of the right foods to learn, play and simply be kids during the summer months.

It is in this context that our mission takes on increased importance. Every child deserves a happy, carefree summer without the stress and health impacts of hunger. Join us.