Report: 1.5 million households in Texas face hunger, food insecurity

A new report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture says one in about six Texas households struggled to avoid hunger between 2013 and 2015, despite low unemployment statewide.

The report, released in September, states 15.4 percent of Texas households experienced “food insecurity” in that period, meaning they faced hunger or had to find ways to avoid being hungry. That number is down from 17 percent between 2012 and 2014, according to the USDA.

Texas falls behind California in the top states that are food-insecure, with 1.5 million Texas households reporting food insecurities between 2013 and 2015, the report shows.

In Central Texas more than 471,000 people face hunger, and 25 percent of them are children, according to Austin-based nonprofit Central Texas Food Bank.

CTFB, which moved into its new Southeast Austin home at 6500 Metropolis Drive over the summer, is recognizing national Hunger Action Month in September with its “Nothing Runs on Empty” campaign.

CTFB aims to help those in need and raise awareness via social media as part of the campaign using the Twitter hashtag #HungerActionMonth. Many local retail and corporate partners have hosted special events to benefit the food bank during Hunger Action Month.

For more information and details about how to volunteer, visit www.centraltexasfoodbank.org.