COUNTY JUDGE BOB HEBERT MEETS WITH HOUSTON FOOD BANK

(l to r) Sarah White, executive director, Second Mile Mission; Ernest Lewis, director, Mamie George Community Center, Catholic Charities – Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston; Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert; Brian Greene, president, Houston Food Bank

FORT BEND COUNTY, TX ~ As part of Hunger Action Month activities, Houston Food Bank President/CEO Brian Greene hit the road to meet with elected officials in the non-profit organization’s coverage area to discuss the issue of hunger.  On Tuesday, September 24 he met with Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert at the judge’s office, joined by directors of two of the Food Bank’s member agencies located in Fort Bend County:  Sarah White, executive director, Second Mile Mission; and Ernest Lewis, director, Mamie George Community Center, Catholic Charities – Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Throughout the country, September is designated as Hunger Action Month by food banks and hunger relief agencies to bring awareness to the important issue of hunger and how everyone can take action to combat it. 

Among the topics discussed at the meeting were transportation needs facing low income Fort Bend County residents; an increase of multigenerational households in the area; and a substantial veteran population participating in benefit programs.

Facts about hunger and Houston Food Bank’s work in the Fort Bend area:

• There are 23 Houston Food Bank partner agencies, including one of HFB’s five largest (Second Mile Mission) in the Fort Bend area.
• In fiscal year 2013 HFB distributed 4,298,108 pounds of food and non-food in the Fort Bend area; this includes nearly 3.5 million nutritious pounds.
• In fiscal year 2013, 1.6 million pounds of fresh produce has been distributed
• HFB distributed 2,662,829 pounds of product through mobile “food pantries on wheels” at 24 partner hunger relief charities
• HFB’s Backpack Buddy program provides food sacks for the weekend for hungry children in 11 schools in the Fort Bend area
• 73, 819 individuals are eligible for SNAP, only 44,001 are enrolled
• In the Fort Bend area, there is a large amount of unclaimed SNAP benefits: $45 million, with a lost economic benefit of $80 million
• Total Fort Bend Co. population: 585,375
• Fort Bend Co. poverty rate:  9% (52,716 people)
• Fort Bend Co. child poverty rate: 12.5% (1,418 kids)
• Fort Bend Co. food insecurity rate 15.2%; 17.1% for kids (compared to Texas 18.7% and Texas kids 27.6%)

“I applaud the work of the Houston Food Bank at a regional and local level,” says Fort Bend County Judge Robert Hebert.  “Fort Bend County is a rapidly-growing area with complex needs.  Although our county has much wealth, many of our residents are not so fortunate.  It’s good to know they are served by so many hunger relief charities in our community.”

 

For more information on Houston Food Bank, its coverage area and programs, visit www.HoustonFoodBank.org.

###

**Please visit http://www.fortbendcountynews.info for more information pertaining to local events and updates.**