Following Abbott\u2019s veto, claims that Texan children would starve were quickly refuted. Summer meal programs are available, but the process is cumbersome\u00a0\u2014\u00a0in most cases the child has to eat on site\u00a0\u2014\u00a0and they’re underutilized. The Summer EBT program is new and while advocates expected it to be funded, it wasn\u2019t something that had been in place for years and was snatched away, explained Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas<\/a>. <\/p>\n But it would have offered $120 per qualifying child to cover groceries over the summer. Harris County\u2019s \u201cfood insecurity rate,\u201d meaning households that have difficulty providing enough food for all members due to a lack of resources, is about 18.2 percent, according to Feeding America<\/a>. <\/p>\n
click to enlarge
The Summer EBT program would have offered $120 per child for groceries during the summer.<\/p>\n
Photo by April Towery
<\/p>\n \u201cWe were surprised [by the veto] because we\u2019ve been working to implement it since the program was created,\u201d Cole said. \u201cWe worked all session across the aisle in the legislature to build bipartisan support for Texas running the program, which includes them having to put up their share of the administrative costs, and that\u2019s the $60 million that the governor vetoed.\u201d <\/p>\n The investment from Texas could have initiated up to $450 million in federally funded food benefits for kids, Cole added. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely a worthwhile return on investment, and because we had bipartisan support for it, we were really encouraged when the budget passed and very discouraged when we learned of the governor\u2019s veto,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The U.S. Department of Agriculture launched the Summer EBT program in 2024, and Texas was not among the 30 states that implemented it. That means the Lone Star State has to rely on other summer feeding programs offered by Houston ISD and the Houston Food Bank, which aren’t able to feed every hungry child in the region, Cole said. <\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s been a summer food service program that basically operates out of schools, nonprofits, parks, and rec centers,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s difficult for kids to get out to the sites and historically they\u2019ve always had to eat at the site, which is hard when parents are working.\u201d <\/p>\n
click to enlarge
More than 10,000 meals are served per day at Houston Food Bank distribution sites.<\/p>\n
Photo by Maggi Massad
<\/p>\n \n Jourdan Stansberry, senior manager of education programs for Houston Food Bank, said the Summer Food Service Program serves about 10,000 meals a day at 158 sites, six days a week. The meals are free to children ages 18 and younger and those with disabilities up to age 21. <\/p>\n More people are participating this summer than they have in years past, Stansberry said. <\/p>\n “We’ve seen a grocery [price] hike twice in the last couple of years, so it’s just about affordability,” she said. “It’s about being able to have access to meals that are free, healthy, nutritious, and culturally diverse. We try to have a variety of what we offer instead of a standard cold sandwich with chips and a piece of fruit every day.”<\/p>\n Chicken tikka masala and orange chicken are among the popular dishes at the food bank’s feeding sites<\/a>. In addition to \u201ccongregate feeding sites\u201d at inner city public facilities, two rural locations are operational in Sealy and Brenham. The rural sites offer grab-and-go, five-day bundled meal pick-up and are serving about 250 families this summer, Stansberry said. <\/p>\n The Houston Food Bank’s program<\/a> runs through August 8. Children in need of nutritious meals over the summer can call 211 for assistance in finding a summer meal program or distribution site.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the summer months, we see more families with kids in our lines at the food banks, and we hear from those families that when they lose out on breakfast and lunch for their kids, it really increases the grocery bill,\u201d Cole said. \u201cAt the same time, utility bills are going up and they may be paying for camp and things like that. Summer is generally a time that squeezes family budgets, and when that happens, food is usually the first ball to get dropped in the juggling act.\u201d<\/p>\n Stansberry acknowledged the challenges presented by congregate food distribution sites and how hungry families may suffer due to the veto of the Summer EBT program. <\/p>\n “With this program being so heavily regulated, it kind of puts you in a box to where you can meet the need but you’re not exactly able to meet unique needs,” she said. “In light of the recent changes politically and also with inflation, it’s not only affected the day-to-day consumer but also companies. Our food budget has gone up, so we definitely take monetary donations to help enhance the program.” <\/p>\n Houston ISD has been offering free meals at campuses hosting summer school, but the program ends July 18. No registration or ID is required but the breakfast and lunch meals must be consumed on site.<\/p>\n \u201cThis program plays a critical role in keeping our students healthy and nourished year-round,\u201d said Betti Wiggins, deputy chief of HISD Nutrition Services. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to continue supporting Houston families through our commitment to food security.\u201d <\/p>\n
click to enlarge
A child selects her meal at a Houston Food Bank distribution site.<\/p>\n
Photo by Maggi Massad
<\/p>\n \n Both the HISD and the Houston Food Bank programs are partnerships with the USDA and the Texas Department of Agriculture. Houston ISD’s Sunrise Centers<\/a>, Second Servings of Houston<\/a>, and YMCA of Greater Houston<\/a> also offer food distribution programs. <\/p>\n Stansberry said it’s important for the food-insecure families in Harris County to know that even though the Summer EBT program isn’t happening right away, “children and families have services to fall back on.” <\/p>\n “We’re definitely addressing the food insecurity gap,” she said. <\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/groceries.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/summer_feeding_kickoff_2017_72_ppi_img_7364.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/houston_food_bank_0486.webp\")
<\/a><\/p>\n