El Paso County leaders respond to growing food insecurity amid government shutdown

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso County leaders are taking steps to address what they call a worsening food insecurity crisis as the federal government shutdown continues to affect thousands of families and federal workers in the region.

County Commissioner David Stout, who represents Precinct 2, brought the issue to the Commissioners Court this week. He said the county is stepping up because of what he described as “inaction” from higher levels of government.

“I’m very proud of the Commissioners Court for the actions we’re taking to address the food insecurity crisis,” Stout said, “mostly due to actions that federal and state government have taken, namely with the SNAP suspension.”

SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, helps low-income families buy food. But the recent government shutdown and delays in funding have left tens of thousands of people in El Paso struggling to access those benefits.

Stout said El Paso families receive about $25 million a month in SNAP assistance. “That’s a huge problem for us,” he said, “not only are people going to have issues feeding themselves, but it’s a huge detriment to our local economy.”

The county is taking several steps to respond. Commissioners directed staff to explore joining national lawsuits challenging the suspension of SNAP benefits and to send letters to Texas’ congressional delegation and the governor urging the state to tap into reserve funds to help fill the gap.

Stout said the county will also work with departments and local organizations to identify available resources and possibly use remaining federal relief funds or county reserves. “We have some American Rescue Plan funding that’s still leftover, maybe $1 million there that could be tapped into,” he said.

Community organizations have already started responding. Chris Yagl, interim CEO of El Pasoans Fighting Hunger, attended the meeting to brief commissioners on the food bank’s efforts.

“Thirty-five percent of people in our region are food insecure,” Yagl said. “That’s higher than the national average.”

He said the food bank has already begun distributing emergency food boxes, but the need continues to grow. “We’ve done maybe a fifth of the boxes we plan to do,” he said. “This isn’t a flash in the pan — it’s going to carry on for a while.”

Yagl added that while partial funding reinstatements from Washington are welcome, delays in implementation will still leave families in limbo. “We’re happy to hear about it, but there will be a delay,” he said. “The best we can do is keep sourcing food and getting it to those who need it.”

The impact of food insecurity is also being felt among college students. A recent UTEP study found that 65% of students are food insecure, nearly double the countywide rate.

UTEP students Zaira Diaz and Natalie Martel said the cuts to SNAP and the rising cost of food have made it harder for young people to stay afloat.

“I have a big family of seven, and we use all our SNAP benefits,” Diaz said. “It’s sad to think some people might not be able to eat at all.”

Martel said the numbers aren’t surprising. “Students are broke,” she said. “Food keeps getting more expensive, and healthy food costs even more.”

Another UTEP student, Manuel Chairez, said the problem is especially concerning in a city where much of the food supply is imported. “El Paso is basically a food desert,” he said. “People who are affected by this are really going to feel it in their wallets.”

As the shutdown drags on, Stout said the county plans to continue coordinating with the city, school districts and community groups to form a unified response.

“We’re going to have to take the reins on this,” he said. “The federal government isn’t doing what it should be doing, so it’s going to be our problem to deal with locally.”

Yagl said volunteers and donations are needed now more than ever. “This is El Pasoans fighting hunger, not my staff fighting hunger,” he said. “We could really use your partnership at this time.”

If you or someone you know needs help getting food, several organizations in El Paso are offering assistance.

El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank has multiple distribution sites across the county, and residents can find locations and schedules at epfhfb.org.

UTEP students can also visit the on-campus food pantry for free groceries.

For those looking to help, EPFH is accepting both monetary donations and volunteers to pack and distribute food boxes.