HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Data from our ABC News Data team reveals the number of people in the greater Houston area who typically receive SNAP benefits.<\/p>\n
Numbers from the U.S. Census information from 2023 show zip codes with the highest percentage of households that receive SNAP benefits, at 1 in 4 families.<\/p>\n
Fourteen of those are in Harris County, with more than 39% of families in the 77032 zip code near Bush Airport receiving benefits.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, there are over 36% of zip codes in Austin County, and Liberty, Fort Bend, and Brazoria Counties all have zip codes with rates over 25% as well.<\/p>\n
However, it’s important to note that for less-populous zip codes, there could be a higher margin of error.<\/p>\n
The Houston Food Bank continues to help with food distributions across the area, giving out produce, and canned foods, but said the need could continue to grow.<\/p>\n
“Plus, now there are 425,000 SNAP households that have had their benefits impacted. In the first week, there’s about a quarter of them that have been impacted. But the longer this goes on, the more those households will not have received payments, or if this does get restarted, it’ll be at half payment,” President and CEO of the Houston Food Bank Brian Greene said.<\/p>\n
For people like Lesly Angulo, who lives in Harris County, she said she lost her job due to the shutdown and just started to rely on SNAP before it was snatched.<\/p>\n
“I did apply for it, but, finally when I had just got approved for it, I only received it for October, and then they stated that it was going to be cancelled for this month,” Angulo said.<\/p>\n
Which is why now, and as we move into the holiday season, the food bank said food distributions are ramping due to the shutdown and the normal holiday need.<\/p>\n
“Normally, we would be preparing for ‘Share your Holidays’ right now, but with so much need, we have to be all hands on deck to supply this book surge,” Greene said.<\/p>\n
Because people like Angulo say she sometimes has to choose between groceries and other bills.<\/p>\n
“But I lost my car, and just the assistance is really helpful, but the impact that I’m going through right now, I never have went through this in my life,” Angulo said.<\/p>\n
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