USDA cuts leave Houston Food Bank facing $11 million loss

HOUSTON — The Houston Food Bank is bracing for a significant financial hit as the U.S. Department of Agriculture rolls back nearly $1 billion in national funding for food assistance programs.

Leaders at the nation’s largest food bank by distribution say they are preparing for the loss of roughly $11 million annually and more than 20 million pounds of food, following cuts to two pandemic-era programs. The USDA is pulling $600 million from the Local Food for Schools Program and $420 million from the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement, according to the agency.

The Houston Food Bank said the cuts will impact about 15 percent of its current budget and output, affecting the charity’s ability to serve more than 1 million people each year — about one in every seven residents in the region.

“We are going to be making adjustments to try and make up what we can,” said Brian Greene, president of the Houston Food Bank. “We’re going to be asking the community, can you step up and help us make up the difference?”

“As a result, yeah, we’ll have to distribute some less,” Greene added. “That’ll probably be more just sort of spread out so we’ll be providing less per person but not that we’ll be turning people away.”

The USDA said the rollback is part of an effort to “return to long-term, fiscally responsible initiatives.”

The food bank is encouraging the community to support their efforts by volunteering. More information is available at houstonfoodbank.org.