East Texas Food Bank Finalist Nominee for Chick-fil-A’s True Inspiration Awards™

The East Texas Food Bank is a finalist nominee in the Southwest region for Chick-fil-A’s True Inspiration Award.

“We are so excited that the ETFB was nominated for this award and we hope all of East Texas will vote for us this month,” said Tim Butler, ETFB Chief Development Officer. “The grants range between $30,00-$200,000 so it would be amazing if we were able to win one of these grants to help with our mission of fighting hunger and feeding hope in the 26 counties we serve in East Texas. Every donated dollar helps us serve five meals to our neighbors in need.”

To vote for the ETFB simply download the Chick-fil-A App, click on For You, vote now, select the Southwest region and vote for ETFB.  Voting is open until September 30 with the winners being announced in 2027. Only one vote per Chick-fil-A App account.

The True Inspiration Awards® programs was created in 2015 to honor the legacy of Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy. Through these annual grants, nonprofit organizations have been supported with over $40 million to organizations all around the world. To learn more visit chick-fil-a.com

Poppies® Invites Families to Share a Little Sweetness Through Grown to Share

TYLER, Texas, Aug. 26, 2026 – Poppies® Mandarins and Feeding America® are helping families turn everyday moments into opportunities to give back through Grown to Share. As families settle into new routines for the school year, Poppies is inviting shoppers to share a little sweetness and support neighbors facing food insecurity.

Now through mid-September, participating Brookshire Grocery Co. stores across East Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas will carry specially marked Poppies Grown to Share bags. Shoppers are encouraged to scan the QR code on the package to “share a little sweetness.” Every scan helps unlock a Poppies-funded donation of at least 10 meals through the Feeding America® network of local partner food banks. Through this regional activation, Poppies expects to help provide up to 450,000 meals for families facing hunger.

On Aug. 25, representatives from Poppies and Brookshire Grocery Co. came together at the East Texas Food Bank, where 34 volunteers packed more than 5,700 food packs for children heading back to school across East Texas. Poppies also made a $10,000 donation to support the organization’s efforts to help local families start the school year strong

“Children notice the little things we do every day,” said Julie Dunmire, Director of Marketing for Kings River Packing. “We love that choosing a lunchbox favorite can become a simple act of sharing. Through Grown to Share, families can make an impact with a scan, and we’re proud to partner with Brookshire Grocery Co. and Feeding America to make that possible.”

To learn more about Grown to Share, find participating locations and help unlock meals for families in need, visit https://poppies.kingorange.com.

About Poppies Mandarins

Poppies Mandarins are grown with care to deliver bright, juicy flavor and effortless enjoyability. Naturally segmentable and rich in vitamin c, Poppies inspire small moments of joy, connection, and sharing—making everyday life a little sweeter. Poppies is a proud brand of Kings River Packing, LP, a family-owned company that has been growing citrus in California’s San Joaquin Valley for over eight generations. As growers, packers, and shippers, the founding family continues to oversee operations across the business to ensure the highest quality fruit reaches consumers. Learn more at www.kingorange.com or follow @KingsRiverPacking on social media.

CHRISTUS Health awards $300,000 to strengthen East Texas communities

(TYLER, Texas) – Five East Texas nonprofit organizations have been selected to receive grants totaling $300,000 through the CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund (CHRISTUS Fund), supporting programs that improve the health and well-being of local communities. The recipients in the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System region are Sulphur Springs-based Carevide, East Texas Food Bank, Tyler-based Family Circle of Care, Hope Haven of East Texas and PATH (People Attempting to Help).

The organizations were recognized during the Blessing of the Hands ceremony on Aug. 25, an annual CHRISTUS Health tradition that celebrates the healing ministry of its Associates while recognizing community partners who share the organization’s mission of serving those most in need.

“The CHRISTUS Community Impact Fund is one of the many ways we live out our mission beyond the walls of our hospitals and clinics,” said Jessica Guerra, program manager for community development at CHRISTUS Health. “These organizations are making a meaningful difference every day by improving access to essential services and creating healthier, stronger communities. Through reliable community partnerships, we are honored to support their work and help make care and services more accessible.” Hope Haven of East Texas serves the region by caring for children and families impacted by the foster care system who have suffered abuse, neglect, trauma, placement disruptions and the feeling of being overlooked as a result.

Jamie Sanders, Hope Haven’s executive director, says the CHRISTUS Fund grant will expand behavior health services for foster care youth and will aid in the creation of a community-wide training and education program designed to equip East Texans with information regarding foster care issues. “We are incredibly grateful to the CHRISTUS Fund for investing in the lives of foster children who have experienced significant trauma. Too many children in foster care carry the invisible wounds of abuse, neglect and trauma,” she said. “This grant allows Hope Haven to expand trauma-informed mental health services so that young people in foster care receive not only a safe place to live, but also the counseling, life skills and compassionate support they need to heal, grow and build brighter futures.”

The local grants are part of a broader investment by the CHRISTUS Fund, which will provide more than $3.5 million this year to 56 nonprofit organizations across Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico and Latin America. The grants support programs addressing some of the most pressing needs in the communities CHRISTUS serves, including food insecurity, access to healthcare and housing insecurity.

Since its launch in 2011, the CHRISTUS Fund has invested more than $29 million into communities served by CHRISTUS Health, strengthening partnerships with organizations that share the ministry’s commitment to improving the health and quality of life for those most in need.

About CHRISTUS Health
CHRISTUS Health is an international faith-based, not-for-profit healthcare system based in Irving, Texas, with more than 65 hospitals, over 2,500 employed physicians, and a health plan with more than 250,000 covered lives in Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Mexico. CHRISTUS Health is made up of 57,000 Associates providing compassionate and individualized care at more than 600 centers, including community hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and health ministries. Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word of Houston, the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word of San Antonio and the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, our mission is to extend the healing ministry of Jesus Christ to every individual we serve. For more information, visit christushealth.org.

New data shows food insecurity continues to rise in Texas

New research released from Feeding America, the national network of food banks building lasting solutions to end hunger, reveals food insecurity continues to rise across Texas. The findings are part of the 2026 Map the Meal Gap study featuring 2024 data, which is the only comprehensive, county-level study of food insecurity and food costs in the U.S.

Food insecurity means a household lacks enough money or resources to reliably access adequate food. It’s not just families who pay the price, it’s Texas too: worse health, kids falling behind in school, and higher costs down the road for our healthcare system and economy.

Today, 19.4% of Texans, or nearly 1 in 5 people, are experiencing food insecurity, up from 17.6%, or 1 in 6 Texans, in last year’s report. Texas continues to have the largest food insecure population in the nation, with 6,062,890 Texans facing food insecurity.

“This year’s Map the Meal Gap data underscores the reality that food insecurity continues to affect our neighbors across every demographic and geography in Texas, disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations, including children and seniors,” said Celia Cole, CEO of Feeding Texas. “While we continue growing our work to get nutritious food to families, this report reinforces the urgent need for strong public policy, community support, and partnerships that protect and increase food access for Texans.”

Statewide findings from the 2026 report also highlight the growing severity of food insecurity across Texas:

• 1 in 4 Texas children are experiencing food insecurity, representing 26.1%, or 1,995,810 children, an increase from 22.2% last year.
• 1 in 7 Texas seniors are experiencing food insecurity, increasing from 13.6% to 15.1%.
• Food insecurity among White, non-Hispanic Texans increased from 11% to 12%, meaning 1 in 8 are now experiencing food insecurity.
• Food insecurity among Black Texans increased from 31% to 34%, meaning 1 in 3 Black Texans are experiencing food insecurity.

The Map the Meal Gap study also reveals a significant portion of individuals experiencing food insecurity may not qualify for federal nutrition assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Across the country, more than half of those struggling with food insecurity fall above the SNAP eligibility threshold, meaning many families must rely on local food banks and community meal programs to get by.

These findings are echoed by recent 211 Texas data from United Ways of Texas. From February to June 2026, calls to 211 seeking food assistance increased 28.6%, while referrals to food banks and food pantries rose nearly 37%, from 4,230 to 5,785 referrals. Among those seeking food assistance between January and June 2026, 43% were adults age 50 and older. During the same period, requests for home-delivered meals increased about 23%, growing from 510 to 629 requests.

Additionally, new provisions in HR 1, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” shift certain program costs to states and tie significant new financial obligations to SNAP payment error rates—a statistical measure of how accurately SNAP benefits are calculated by Texas Health and Human Services.

Beginning October 1, 2027, states with payment error rates above 6% must share between 5-15% of SNAP benefit costs. Texas’ payment error rate for fiscal year 2025 is 9.34%, meaning the state could face up to $709 million per year in benefit costs beginning in fiscal year 2028. If states are unable to take on this new financial burden, it could put their participation in SNAP at risk, threatening SNAP benefits for millions of working families, children, seniors and veterans. 

Notably, states with exceptionally high payment error rates (above 13.34% in FY25), including Alaska and Georgia, have already been granted a two-year extension to meet the new requirements. 

Texas food banks currently distribute more than 700 million pounds of food annually through a network of more than 5,000 community partners, yet for every meal provided by food banks, SNAP provides nine. SNAP remains the nation’s most effective anti-hunger program and plays a vital role in supporting local grocers, retailers and agricultural producers across the state. Millions of households rely on SNAP at some point during the year to help stretch their grocery budgets.

“We’re calling on Congress to postpone the cost-share requirement for two years so every state has adequate time to implement these improvements before being subjected to significant financial penalties,” Cole said. “Our priority should be ensuring the policy is implemented effectively while safeguarding eligible families’ access to food assistance.”

For more information about Feeding Texas and its statewide network of food banks, visit feedingtexas.org. Individuals can also visit Feeding Texas’ Action Form to contact members of Congress regarding the proposed SNAP cost share delay.

About Feeding Texas
Feeding Texas is a statewide network of food banks leading a unified effort to end hunger in Texas. Its goal is to ensure access to adequate, nutritious food for all Texans, improve the health and financial stability of the communities they serve, and engage all stakeholders in advocating for hunger solutions. Learn more at FeedingTexas.org.