We are a collaboration...
The Texas Hunger Initiative (THI) is a capacity-building collaborative project. We seek to develop and implement strategies to end hunger through policy, education, community organizing, and community development.
™whose goal is to end hunger in Texas.
We seek to make the state food secure by ensuring that every individual living in Texas has access to three healthy meals a day, seven days a week by 2015.
The need is great-Texas is the second hungriest state in the nation.
In Texas, 1.4 million people experience hunger daily. Almost 15% of all of its inhabitants are hungry or food insecure. Texas has the highest food insecurity rate among children in the nation. Many of the 3 million children in Texas who participate in the free lunch program go without a meal on the weekends and when schools are closed for the summer.
We will gather people together to make plans and enact change.
THI will convene federal, state and local government stakeholders with non-governmental organizations, churches, and local providers to develop a plan for an efficient use and delivery of our current resources to hungry individuals and families.
In Tom Green County’s congressional district -
• Nearly 18% of all households had times during 2009 when there was not enough money to buy food – that’s 6,000 households in San Angelo.
• Over 24% of families with children had times during 2009 when there was not enough money to buy food – that’s 5,400 households in San Angelo.
• It’s not that we don’t have the resources – we do. The issue is the distribution system – we need to get the resources we have to those who need them.
The goal for THI in Tom Green County for 2010 was to feed more children during the summer when school was not in session. In San Angelo, during the school year 2009-10, 14 out of 21 schools had more than 60% of their students receiving free or reduced meal benefits. Over 8,400 students received free or reduced meals when school was in session – more than 60% of all students.
During the sumer of 2010, San Angelo ISD offered free beadfast at 8 sites and lunch at 6 sites from June 3rd through July 1st. Grape Creek ISD offered breadfast and lunch at one site from June 1st through June 28th.
But, what happened July 2nd? We happened! Over 50 churches, ministries, organizations, businesses and many, many individuals and volunteers partnered to provide meals in 11 San Angelo neighborhoods, at 2 city recreation centers, and at one site in Carlsbad.
During the 7 weeks after summer school ended, our 8 church sites provided 17,978 meals:
• 13,847 to children
• 2,391 to parents/caregivers
• 1,740 to volunteers who were encouraged to sit and eat with the families
Additionally, the Boys and Girls Club served approximately 7,610 meals at their 2 units between July 2 and August 6.
