TDA Proudly Partners with Walmart to Fight Hunger in Texas

Hunger in Texas remains a serious concern, which is why I was honored to partner with Walmart yesterday in announcing a Facebook campaign aimed at feeding America’s hungriest communities. In Texas, the cities of Austin/Round Rock, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas are eligible for Walmart’s generous $1 million hunger-relief grant. Five runner-up cities will receive $100,000 each.

According to a USDA report issued in November, 17 percent of Texas households are food insecure – more than the national average. By visiting Walmart’s Facebook page at fightinghunger.walmart.com and voting for one of the four eligible Texas cities, you can help feed our neighbors in need. Please take the time today to reach out and help your fellow Texans by casting your vote. Your click can be the difference between hunger and help.

To watch a video clip of the entire news conference at the Capital Area Foodbank in Austin, click here.

Help us Fight Hunger in Texas

Be sure to log on to the Texas Department of Agriculture's USTREAM channel tomorrow, Dec. 7 at 2:30 p.m. CST, to watch a live stream of our joint press conference with Walmart and the Capital Area Foodbank of Texas. We will be announcing a new campaign to fight hunger in Texas. You can also watch the live stream right here from my blog:

Walmart Puts Their Money Where the Mouths Are

As the nation's agricultural leader on many fronts, as well as the national leader for children who are food insecure, we must ask the question: How can Texas be a leader in both agriculture and food insecurity among children? It's a question that not only needs an answer, but also winning strategies to end hunger in the Lone Star State.

With this in mind, you can imagine my elation when Walmart announced its generous commitment to donate $2 billion toward U.S. hunger relief. In Texas, Walmart's donation will result in 77 million meals to food banks across our state.

Thank you Walmart for making such a big commitment to address the very real threat of hunger across our country. It is my hope that everyone reading this blog will be motivated to pitch in and help take Texas off the top ranking for food insecurity. If you want to get involved in the fight against hunger, visit the Texas Hunger Initiative. This wonderful group's mission is to make Texas food secure by 2015. This can be achieved through a collaborative effort among all Texans.

Guest Blogger: Deputy Commissioner Drew DeBerry

I participated in a press conference this week, which was hosted by the Capital Area Food Bank to announce a new study by Feeding America that shows an increasing number of Americans rely on food banks. The study shows in Texas, food banks serve about 3 million people annually.

This new information coupled with the fact that Texas leads the nation in children who are food insecure is simply unacceptable. We at the Texas Department of Agriculture are focused on implementing solutions by working with partners, such as schools, churches, food banks and home-delivered meal providers.

Commissioner Staples established the Texans Feeding Texans initiative to recognize and call to action public-private partnerships under a singular and focused goal of improving the health of all Texans. Through this initiative, the Commissioner has issued a formal challenge to all Texas mayors to join this fight against hunger by accepting the TDA Mayors Challenge and increase the number of summer meals provided to children in Texas through assistance programs administered by TDA. Call your mayor and encourage their acceptance of this important challenge.

Texas food banks get $2 million to feed hungry Texans

I was in Lubbock today to award the Texas Food Bank Network a $2 million grant. The Texans Feeding Texans: Surplus Agricultural Products Grant will be used by 19 food banks across the state to purchase and distribute surplus agricultural products from Texas farms.

In the last year, Texas food banks have experienced a 30 percent increase in demand. This grant is a win for farmers who have excess products and a win for hungry Texans in need of nutritious foods. It is also a win for Texas taxpayers as study after study has shown well fed children perform better in the classroom and a healthier population has a lower need for medical attention.

I appreciate the Legislature for recognizing the tremendous demand food banks are facing and making funds available to help feed hungry Texans. You can find out more about TDA’s Texans Feeding Texans program here. You can also donate directly to the Texas Food Bank Network by clicking here.

Texas Makes Progess on Helping to Feed the Hungry

Texas ranks third in America for food insecurity. This is definitely not a statistic to brag about, but the good news is private industry and the state are taking serious strides to try to end hunger in the Lone Star State.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. recently announced it will give Feeding America food banks an estimated 90 million pounds of food annually – the equivalent of 70 million meals. This means 19 food banks across Texas will receive thousands of pounds of food in 2009.

Additionally, food banks continue to receive $1 million annually through the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Texans Feeding Texans Grant Program. This same program will also provide much-needed assistance to Texas home-delivered meal providers who will receive $10 million in 2009 to pay for thousands of additional meals for homebound disabled and elderly Texans.

Ending hunger in Texas is something I’m committed to, and there’s no question these partnerships will benefit not only those in need, but ALL Texans. You, too, can help feed hungry Texans. Contribute to your favorite charity today or go on-line and find out how to give to the Texas Food Bank Network or to your local Meals on Wheels or home-delivered meal provider.