USDA cuts results in empty shelves at Food Bank RGV
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Shelves are empty at the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley in Pharr.
The food bank’s CEO, Libby Saenz, said in the last month, delivery of 23 trucks of food each carrying 25,000 pounds of food, were cancelled.
“There is actually a disaster going on in this food bank,” Saenz said. “This is not normal for us. We usually have our shelves stocked and ready to go. We are having to cut back on the amount of product we are putting in our bags."
The shortage is linked to the March 2025 announcement from the U.S. Agriculture Department that ended two pandemic-era programs that provided more than $1 billion for schools and food banks to purchase food from local farmers and producers.
READ MORE: Reactions to USDA ending program that provided aid to food banks
According to Saenz, the food bank gives away 800,000 pounds of food per week.
"We need rice, beans, corn, I need green beans, everything and anything you can think of,” Saenz said. “Stuff that is easy to prepare for our families, anything that is already made and protein."
Those who’d like to donate to the Food Bank of the RGV can do so online.
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