The News Stand

4 Out of 10 Houston Families Can't Get Enough Food

A new study from Rice University shows that 39% of families in Houston and Harris County struggle to get enough food. That's almost three times higher than the rest of the country, where only 14% of families face this problem. The problem hits some groups harder than others. More than half of Black families (53%) and nearly half of Hispanic families (47%) don't have enough food. Families making less than $35,000 a year struggle the most, with 59% being food insecure. In some neighborhoods like Greenspoint, 4 out of 5 families can't get enough food. The study asked over 5,200 Houston residents about their food situation. Many said they had to skip meals because they couldn't afford food or couldn't buy healthy meals for their families. This food crisis hurts people's health, makes it hard for kids to learn in school, and keeps families from being financially stable. The problem isn't the same everywhere - some neighborhoods and groups of people need more help than others. To fix this, communities need food pantries, meal programs, better grocery stores, and policies that help people afford healthy food.