EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The El Paso County Commissioners Court held a meeting on Monday, Nov. 3, to discuss food insecurity and how it’s currently impacting the Borderland.
Wednesday, Nov. 5, marked the thee longest on record for the government to be shutdown as fallout spreads across the country, including in El Paso.
El Paso County Commissioner David Stout, El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank Interim CEO Kris Yagel, and Food City Director of Finance and Marketing Melissa Santos all spoke with KTSM 9 News about what was discussed during the county commissioners court meeting.
Stout shared that with the recent suspension of SNAP benefits and federal workers not receiving any paychecks, he suspects things are “going to get worse” in El Paso.
The meeting highlighted how it’s important it is for nobody to go hungry, and how they can make sure that doesn’t happen.
Stout said that they are having the County Attorneys review legal action they can take to respond to the food insecurity and directed staff to send letters to the federal and delegations and Texas Gov. Abbott’s office, requesting funds from the reserves to help the El Paso community.
Stout also shared that they are authorizing the Community Services Department to implement the Temporary Assistance Program to help those who need utility assistance.
Stout also stressed why it’s important to consider a tax increase so that they have money for emergencies, such as the current food insecurity in El Paso.
“There is some funding from the American Rescue Plan Act that we possibly could use, close to $1 million, and there’s funds in our Economic Development Impact fund that we could possibly use, and then there’s money in our emergency reserves, but we want to make sure we don’t overuse that amount.”
El Paso County Commissioner David Stout
Yagel also spoke with KTSM 9 News, and said that the numbers are higher in the region than around the country in regards to food insecurity.
“We’re in a fight. We’re having to pull out all our resources and put in all our efforts. It’s a formidable enemy, hunger.”
El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank Interim CEO Kris Yagel
Yagel said that the food bank has reallocated some funds to purchase emergency food boxes. Right now, they are preparing 10,000 food boxes, and 1,500 of those are going to Fort Bliss, specifically to federal workers who are missing their second paycheck.
Yagel said that the food bank has purchased $100,000 in food from sources all over the country that will be implemented in the emergency food boxes that are 50 to 60 pounds each and should last two weeks.
Yagel also said that the food bank is the sixth largest in the nation out of 200 in terms of food distribution.
Santos, who was also present in the meeting, shared that Food City has been able to give $8,500 in gift cards and has helped over 233 households, but shared that they are overwhelmed with the number of applications they have received for people who need help.
“I had so many federal employees tell me they were selling their plasma to make ends meet. Employees telling me that they couldn’t pay their mortgage. So many federal employees telling me they never asked for help before. I had one lady tell me that she was able to finally buy meat for family.”
Food City Director of Finance and Marketing Melissa Santos
Santos said that they opened applications on Friday, Oct. 31 for those who needed gift cards and had to close applications that same day, as they received 1,500 applications.
Santos said that the gift cards were given to those who depend on SNAP benefits and federal employees who are being affected by the shutdown.
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