As thousands in Houston struggle with food access during government shutdown, new study links food insecurity to poor health

HOUSTON — As Congress works to strike a deal to end the ongoing government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of Houston-area families who rely on SNAP benefits are still figuring out where their next meals will come from.

At the Houston Food Bank, volunteers continued working hard on Monday to fill boxes with food to be distributed to families in need during the shutdown.

Special distribution sites have popped up across the area since Nov. 1, when SNAP was cut. Houston Food Bank CEO Brian Green said donations have increased, but that support can only go so far.

“We’re right now operating in a non-sustainable level,” Greene said. “The sooner the shutdown stops, the less people are going to be suffering

Even after the government reopens, Greene said there will still be challenges for those