{"id":427237,"date":"2025-12-05T20:30:30","date_gmt":"2025-12-05T20:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/427237\/"},"modified":"2025-12-05T20:30:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-05T20:30:30","slug":"healthy-neighborhoods-program-at-risk-from-federal-funding-cuts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/427237\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthy Neighborhoods program at risk from federal funding cuts"},"content":{"rendered":"

All year we have covered the stories that matter most to San Antonio, at no cost to you or the community. Your support fuels our work. <\/p>\n

Will you help us make our $95,000<\/strong> year-end goal to keep us going?<\/p>\n

San Antonio Metro Health\u2019s Healthy Neighborhoods Program could see a 36% budget cut in fiscal year 2027 because of federal cuts under the Trump Administration, as well as reductions in the city\u2019s budget.<\/p>\n

Overall, the city\u2019s Metropolitan Health District is facing a 10% budget reduction, or $8 million. The department will have to eliminate 80 positions if the shortfall isn\u2019t made up by September 2026, according to Metro Health director Claude Jacob, who presented to the city council\u2019s Community Health Meeting on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that this funding stream is on borrowed time,\u201d Jacob said.<\/p>\n

\"PresidentPresident of Villa Coronado Neighborhood Association Olga Martinez and Erin Gallegos plant a lemon tree in the Villa Coronado Park community orchard in 2023. Credit: Brenda Baz\u00e1n \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

Since 2013, the Healthy Neighborhoods program has built community gardens, promoted healthy eating, physical exercise and health education in 12 neighborhoods with the poorest health outcomes in the city. The program operates the Double-Up Food Bucks and Healthy Corner Stores initiative, which offer fresh fruits and vegetables at over 50 corner stores and incentives to purchase fresh food. <\/p>\n

Healthy Neighborhoods also opened Villa Coronado, a community resource center, food pantry and gathering space on the South Side in 2023. <\/p>\n

Healthy Neighborhoods is funded through the city\u2019s general fund, Medicaid 1115 waiver program, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, grants through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and COVID-19 federal relief dollars. <\/p>\n

The $2.1 million program could see 36% of its budget slashed in fiscal year 2027, which would lead to a 30% reduction in staff. This would render half of the 12 neighborhoods unable to be served and hundreds of health classes axed. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s not listed here is the institutional knowledge that will be lost,\u201d said Morjoriee White, assistant director of the department\u2019s Community Health and Safety Division. \u201cMany of these individuals have over a decade doing this work in the communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"San Antonio\u2019s Healthy Neighborhoods Program is expecting steep cuts in fiscal year 2027. The department presented to San Antonio City Council\u2019s Community Health committee on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: San Antonio Metropolitan Health District<\/p>\n

Asked which portions of the Healthy Neighborhoods program would be prioritized amid cuts, Jacob said that Metro Health officials were still mapping that out.<\/p>\n

In October, Jacob warned that Metro Health\u2019s Diabetes Prevention and Control Program<\/a> will lose 72% of its funding amid the cuts. <\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone is really feeling the strain in the national disinvestment of public health,\u201d White said. \u201cWe know what happens when there\u2019s a disinvestment in public health, the burden often shifts to the individual as well as health care systems.\u201d<\/p>\n

Are you doing your part?<\/strong><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve read unlimited<\/strong> of unlimited<\/strong> articles this month. That\u2019s right \u2014 we\u2019re committed to providing free, fair journalism for all.<\/p>\n

But without donor support, our nonprofit newsroom can\u2019t do its job to inform and empower your community.<\/p>\n

Are you in? Your donation of any amount will help keep articles like this one accessible to all San Antonians.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\t