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THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY FOR OUR CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD
[Austin News Conference Regarding Food Resources on October 31, 2025.]
RESOURCES NEWS CONFERENCE.IN JUST A MINUTE, OUR SPEAKERS ARE GOING TO DELIVER THEIR PREPARED REMARKS, AND ONCE THOSE CONCLUDE, THEN WE CAN OPEN UP THE FLOOR FOR ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE MEDIA.
WELL, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO, UH, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYONE BEING HERE.
AND I THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE NEWS MEDIA FOR BEING HERE BECAUSE WE NEED YOU TO HELP US GET OUT THE MESSAGE, UH, SO THAT WE CAN TAKE CARE OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS IN, IN, IN AUSTIN.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAS NOW BECOME THE SECOND LONGEST IN UNITED STATES HISTORY, AND THERE REALLY DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AN END IN SIGHT BEGINNING ON NOVEMBER 1ST, THE FUNDING FOR WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WHICH MANY REFER TO AS SNAP WILL LAPSE THAT IT WILL, IT WILL COME TO A STOP, MEANING THAT FOLKS WHO RECEIVE HELP FROM THE SNAP PROGRAM WILL NOT SEE THEIR NOVEMBER BENEFITS ISSUED AT THIS TIME IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF SNAP BENEFITS WILL AFFECT APPROXIMATELY 44,895 HOUSEHOLDS, WHICH REPRESENT OVER 87,000 PEOPLE.
THIS GROWING NEED IS BEING COMPOUNDED BY NEARLY 13,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WHO WORK WITHIN AUSTIN CITY LIMITS, WHO HAVE ALREADY MISSED AT LEAST ONE PAYCHECK, MISSED PAYCHECKS, AND NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFORD YOUR WEEKLY GROCERIES DON'T JUST HURT A FEW PEOPLE.
THESE LOSSES HURT KIDS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
IT ALSO PLACES ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND NONPROFITS ALREADY STRUGGLING FROM LOSING FEDERAL FUNDS EARLIER THIS YEAR.
NOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT OTHER PROGRAMS ARE BEING AFFECTED WITH THIS SHUTDOWN, AND WHILE WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT SNAP, I WANNA MENTION AND GIVE AN UP A LITTLE BIT OF AN UPDATE, UH, AS I HAVE IT.
I'VE JUST MENTIONED SNAP, AND I'LL SAY AGAIN, NOVEMBER.
SNAP BENEFITS WILL NOT BE ISSUED AT THIS TIME IF THE SHUTDOWN CONTINUES.
THE WOMEN INFANTS AND CHILDREN'S PROGRAM, WHICH IS MANY TIMES REFERRED TO AS WIC, WIC BENEFITS ARE NOT GOING TO BE CURRENTLY AFFECTED.
TANF, WHICH IS THE TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES, THEY'RE NOT CURRENTLY AFFECTED.
MEDICAID, MEDICAID SERVICES WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION.
THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM OR CHIP ARE ALSO NOT BEING AFFECTED.
I WILL MENTION THAT WITH REGARD TO TRANSPORTATION AND AVIATION, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OR THE FAA HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTING TEMPORARY GROUND DELAYS FOR INBOUND FLIGHTS TO AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
THE MOST RECENT DELAY WAS ISSUED JUST THIS MORNING DUE TO INSUFFICIENT FAA AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER STAFFING LEVELS TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY ALLOW THE REGULAR RATE OF, OR OUR ARRIVING FLIGHTS AT A TIME WHEN THERE IS NEGATIVITY EVERYWHERE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHINE THE LIGHT ON SOME OF THE STRENGTH AND THE HOPE THAT WE'RE ALSO SEEING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I TALK A LOT ABOUT THE HARD WORK.
PUBLIC SERVANTS DO EVERY DAY, RAIN OR SHINE DUST TO DAWN, BUT THIS SHUTDOWN HAS REALLY SHOWN WHAT IT MEN MEANS TO HAVE A HEART FOR PUBLIC SERVICE.
OUR FEDERAL FRIENDS WHO WORK ALONGSIDE OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, VENDORS, AND OPERATORS AT THE AUSTIN BERKSHIRE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT EXEMPLIFY THE SPIRIT OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 20TH WAS THE BUSIEST DAY A US HAS EVER SEEN.
45,048 DEPARTING PASSENGERS SAFELY MOVED THROUGH OUR AIRPORT.
THANKS TO THE, TO THE DEDICATION OF EMPLOYEES AT THE TRANSPORTATION, UH, SECURITY ADMINISTRATION, OR TSA, THE US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AND THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION.
THESE PUBLIC SERVANTS, THEY SHOW UP FOR AUSTIN EVEN AS THEY WORRY ABOUT WHEN THEIR NEXT PAYCHECK WILL ARRIVE.
AND I WANT OUR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES TO KNOW THAT WE SEE YOU AND WE SUPPORT YOU.
THE WORK OF OUR NONPROFITS ARE ALSO GOING, IS GOING ON DURING
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THIS, THIS CHAOTIC TIME, AND THAT WORK IS INCREDIBLE.THEY'VE BEEN HOLDING FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS EVENTS FOR THE NEARLY 76,000 CIVILIAN AND MILITARY FEDERAL WORKERS ACROSS 21 CENTRAL TEXAS COUNTIES THAT HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY THE SHUTDOWN.
I PARTICIPATED IN ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THOSE EVENTS, AND IT IS TOUCHING AND IMPORTANT FOR US TO SEE HOW WE CAN COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK AND OTHER NONPROFITS ARE DOING THIS IMPORTANT WORK, AND THEY DO IT AS THEY SEE THE NEEDS GROW IN OUR COMMUNITY WHILE THE RESOURCES DECREASE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE PEOPLE TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT, INCLUDING THE CEO OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK, AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP ON SOME REQUESTS THAT WE MAKE OF OUR COMMUNITY LATER IN THIS, THIS NEWS CONFERENCE.
PUBLIC SERVANTS DEDICATE THEIR CAREERS TO DOING GOOD FOR OTHERS.
I WILL SAY I THINK IT IS NOW TIME FOR US TO DO SOME GOOD FOR THEM.
IT'S WHY WE'RE ALL HERE TODAY.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO HUNGRY BECAUSE THEY CHOSE A CAREER IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO HUNGRY BECAUSE OF A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN THAT STOPS THE BENEFITS THEY RELY UPON.
BEFORE I BRING UP JUDGE BROWN, I'M GONNA SAY I STARTED MY DAY TODAY AT, UH, A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP.
AND WHAT WORRIES ME GREATLY IS THAT AS WE'RE MAKING STRIDES TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE LIVING HOMELESS, WE'RE MAKING STRIDES TO DECREASE THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN IF THIS SHUTDOWN CONTINUES SO THAT SNAP BENEFITS AREN'T RECEIVED BY PEOPLE.
THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT DOES IN THESE HOUSEHOLDS I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.
NOW PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHETHER THEY USE THE MONEY TO BUY FOOD FOR THEIR CHILDREN OR THEY MAKE THE PAYMENT ON THEIR HOUSE OR THEIR LEASE.
THIS, IF THIS CONTINUES AND PEOPLE AREN'T ABLE TO GET THE FOOD THAT THEY NEED, IT WILL LEAD TO MORE PEOPLE BEING HOMELESS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THIS HAS A RIPPLE EFFECT ACROSS ALL OF OUR SERVICES, BUT AS I INDICATE, THERE'S, THERE'S HOPE THAT WE CAN BE PART OF AND WE CAN PROVIDE, AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT IN JUST A SECOND.
BUT LET ME BRING UP MY COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND, UH, COUNTY JUDGE TRAVIS COUNTY, JUDGE ANDY BROWN.
YESTERDAY, THE MAYOR AND I, AND A LOT OF OTHER FOLKS, WE HAD 200 VOLUNTEERS THAT WORKED FOR TRAVIS COUNTY, UH, THOUSANDS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY AND THE CITY AS WELL.
WE'RE OUT AT THE CARTER WORK PROJECT AND WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD 25 HOMES FOR FOLKS.
HERE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT PRESIDENT CARTER WORKED FOR AND STOOD FOR AND HIS, HIS LEGACY LIVED ON OF PEOPLE ALL WORKING TOGETHER, MAKING, UH, HOMES MORE AFFORDABLE, MAKING THE HOUSING SITUATION BETTER ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND ESPECIALLY HERE IN AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY.
COMPARE THAT TO, TO TODAY, WHERE WE ARE.
UH, WE'RE IN A, A WORLD OF CHAOS THAT HAS BEEN HERE SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS ELECTED, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE RESULTS.
IT'S WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE FACING TOMORROW, THE CUTOFF OF FOOD BENEFITS FOR 87,000 PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, 44,000 FAMILIES.
UH, THIS ISN'T WHAT AMERICA SHOULD BE ABOUT.
THIS IS NOT A PLACE WHERE WE WANT TO BE, WHERE PEOPLE ARE FACING THE INABILITY TO SIMPLY GET FOOD BECAUSE OF THE CHAOS IN WASHINGTON, DC TODAY IS THE 31ST DAY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN, WHICH IS JUST PART OF THIS CHAOS.
AND THAT MAY SOUND LIKE JUST ANOTHER NUMBER TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, BUT HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, IT HAS REAL CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR FAMILIES, FOR OUR FRIENDS, AND FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.
SO STARTING TOMORROW, SNAP BENEFITS WILL BE HALTED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE PROGRAM'S HISTORY.
FOR MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS, THAT'S NOT SOME ABSTRACT NUMBER OR POLICY ISSUE.
THAT'S FOOD ON THE TABLE OR NOT HAVING FOOD ON THE TABLE.
TEXANS AND AMERICANS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO RELY ON DONATIONS FROM NEIGHBORS OR CORPORATIONS JUST TO HAVE A HOT MEAL.
ACCESS TO FOOD IS A BASIC NECESSITY.
AND OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE SYSTEMS THAT FUNCTION AND THAT ENSURE STABILITY AND INDEPENDENCE.
YET THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW FEDERAL CUTS TO POLICIES PLACE AN UNFAIR BURDEN NOT JUST ON PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE, BUT ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AS WELL.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE, THAT WHOSE HANDS ARE TIED MORE AND MORE BY OUR STATE GOVERNMENT.
AND AS STATE AND FEDERAL CUTS CONTINUE TO SHRINK ESSENTIAL FUNDING ACROSS THE BOARD, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE INCREASINGLY FORCED TO PICK UP THE SLACK, STRETCHING LIMITED BUDGETS TO MAINTAIN BASIC SERVICES LIKE FOOD ASSISTANCE, HOUSING PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
AND INSTEAD OF, INSTEAD OF PUSHING THESE POLICIES,
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THESE RESPONSIBILITIES DOWNWARDS, WE SHOULD BE BUILDING FAIR AND SUSTAINABLE POLICIES THAT ENSURE EVERY COMMUNITY HAS THE RESOURCES THAT IT NEEDS TO THRIVE.THE COST TO FEED THOSE 87,000 INDIVIDUALS, 44,000 HOUSEHOLDS HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY THAT RELY ON SNAP ADDS UP TO OVER $16 MILLION EVERY MONTH.
AND WITHOUT THOSE FUNDS, THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES, CHILDREN AND SENIORS WILL, WILL BE WONDERING WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL WILL COME FROM.
THAT THAT'S A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN MAKE UP THE SLACK FOR IN THE LONG TERM.
AND WE'RE JUST ONE YEAR LESS THAN ONE YEAR INTO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
WE'RE ALSO SEEING, AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, HOW THE SHUTDOWN IMPACTS OUR FEDERAL WORKERS, INCLUDING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS, TSA AGENTS RIGHT HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS WHO'VE ALREADY MISSED A PAYCHECK.
THESE, OF COURSE, ARE PEOPLE THAT KEEP OUR SKIES SAFE AND OUR AIRPORT SAFE, AND THEY'RE FACING THAT SAME UNCERTAINTY LIKE SO MANY OTHERS IN THE COUNTY.
AS YOUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WE CAN'T REOPEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT WE CAN STEP IN AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY.
SO WE OPERATE SIX COMMUNITY CENTERS.
EACH OF THEM HAS FREE FOOD PANTRIES, MANY OF THEM HAVE FRESH PRODUCE AND THEY'RE OPEN AND READY TO HELP FOLKS IN NEED.
AND YOU, THERE'S ONE IN CENTRAL AUSTIN AND DELL VALLEY PFLUGERVILLE, ONE IN JONESTOWN, ONE IN OAK HILL, AND ONE IN MAINOR.
YOU CAN FIND THOSE ON THE TRAVIS COUNTY WEBSITE.
AND FROM SNAP RECIPIENTS TO FEDERAL WORKERS, TRAVIS COUNTY MADE THE DECISION TO WAIVE THE POLICY, ALLOWING RESIDENTS ONLY TO ACCESS THE PANTRY ONCE EVERY 30 DAYS.
SO THAT POLICY HAS BEEN WAIVED FOR THIS THIS PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE OF THE CUTS COMING IN IN THE SNAP PROGRAM TOMORROW.
SO THAT MEANS IMPACTED FAMILIES AND RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS THOSE PANTRIES, UH, AS MANY TIMES AS THEY NEED THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE SHUTDOWN.
SO YOU CAN VISIT, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY TX.GOV/FOOD-PANTRY.
YOU CAN PROBABLY JUST GOOGLE THAT AS WELL AND THAT'LL PROBABLY GET YOU THERE.
UM, AND THERE YOU CAN FIND THE OPERATING HOURS AND THE LOCATIONS OF THESE PLACES AND AS WELL AS FILL OUT A BRIEF APPLICATION.
WE'RE ALSO PARTNERING WITH THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK, WHO YOU'RE GONNA HEAR FROM IN A SECOND THAT WILL GIVE YOU A LOT MORE DETAILS ABOUT WHAT THESE IMPACTS MEAN AND JUST THE SCOPE OF THEM.
UH, BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WORKING WITH THEM, THAT WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE DON'T GO HUNGRY DURING THIS SHUTDOWN.
UM, IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP, YOU CAN VISIT ONE OF THESE COMMUNITY CENTERS.
YOU CAN VISIT THE FOOD BANK, YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1 TO BE CONNECTED TO RESOURCES.
WE'VE BEEN THROUGH TOUGH TIMES BEFORE AND WE KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER AND UNTIL THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DOES ITS PART, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO DO OURS RIGHT HERE AT HOME.
AND SO I THINK, AM I HANDING IT OVER TO THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK? AND THEN WE'LL HAVE TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU JUDGE BROWN AND MAYOR WATSON FOR HAVING US TODAY AND GREAT TO SEE YOU INGRID AND OTHER COLLEAGUES HERE TODAY.
I HAVE THE HONOR AND PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK.
I KNOW TODAY WE ARE GATHERED ON THE STEPS OF AUSTIN CITY HALL.
AND BEFORE I TALK TO TRAVIS COUNTY RESIDENTS SPECIFICALLY, I WANNA ADDRESS THE NEED IN ITS ENTIRETY AND PAINT THE PICTURE FOR WHAT CENTRAL TEXAS IS FACING.
UH, WE WERE ALREADY SEEING A FOOD CRISIS WITH FOOD INSECURITY AT A 10 YEAR HIGH, INCLUDING DURING THE PANDEMIC.
WE ARE NOW SERVING 610,000 FOOD INSECURE INDIVIDUALS IN THE 21 COUNTIES WE SERVE.
JUST AS A RESULT OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND A LOSS OF SNAP BENEFITS, WE WILL SEE APPROXIMATELY 207,000 INDIVIDUALS ACROSS 21 COUNTIES LOSE $44 MILLION WORTH OF CASH THAT THEY CAN GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND PURCHASE FOOD ON THEIR OWN IN A DIGNIFIED SHOPPING ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO NOW IN THE FORD, IN THE FOOD BANKS 40 PLUS YEAR HISTORY, WE ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH A DAILY CRISIS OF FOOD INSECURITY.
AND NOW WE ARE ABOUT TO SEE THAT INCREASE NINEFOLD.
AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT? THE VERY DEFINITION OF SNAP IS SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
IT IS MEANT TO BE A SUPPLEMENT TO HOUSEHOLD FOOD BUDGETS AND NONPROFITS LIKE THE FOOD BANK AND THE 250 NONPROFIT PARTNERS WE SUPPORT ARE MEANT TO BE A SUPPLEMENT TO THE SUPPLEMENT.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, AS YOU HEARD OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS SHARE, THERE WILL BE A SHORTFALL OF $16 MILLION THAT FAMILIES WILL NOT RECEIVE STARTING TOMORROW IF THE SHUTDOWN CONTINUES.
WITH THAT SAID, I'D LIKE TO TURN THE ATTENTION AND TALK TO CENTRAL TEXAS FAMILIES, AUSTINITES AND RESIDENTS OF TRAVIS COUNTY, AND WE WANT OUR MESSAGE TO BE CLEAR TO YOU THAT ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT DOWN, OUR DOORS ARE OPEN IN RESPONSE TO
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THIS CRISIS, WE ARE NOW STANDING UP 50 DISTRIBUTIONS JUST IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER, AND WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SPENDING $1.3 MILLION PER MONTH TO PURCHASE FOOD AND WE JUST INVESTED $2 MILLION IN AN INITIAL PURCHASE FROM OUR RESERVES TO CONTINUE SERVING AT A HIGHER LEVEL.NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THOSE 50 ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTIONS, BUT WE HAVE PURCHASED, UH, ADDITIONAL FOOD TO HAVE NIGHTTIME DISTRIBUTIONS.
WE'RE STARTING OUR FIRST ONE AT DELCO CENTER ON NOVEMBER 4TH.
YOU CAN VISIT CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG AND CLICK ON FINE FOOD NOW TO SEE OUR DISTRIBUTIONS.
WE'RE ALSO SUPPORTING OUR NETWORK OF 250 NONPROFIT PARTNER AGENCIES, 107 OF WHOM ARE RIGHT HERE IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
WE HAVE BEEN HOLDING WEEKLY CALLS WITH THEM TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE FOOD THEY NEED, AND WE ARE NOT ONLY DOING THOSE DISTRIBUTIONS AND SUPPORTING OUR PARTNER AGENCIES, BUT WE HAVE A MARKET ON SITE AT THE CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME AND RECEIVE FOOD ASSISTANCE AND ENROLL IN SNAP BENEFITS.
IF THAT SOUNDS ODD, IT IS NOT.
WE WANNA KEEP ENROLLING PEOPLE IN SNAP SO THAT WHEN THE GOVERNMENT REOPENS, THEY CAN RECEIVE THOSE BENEFITS THAT THEY NEED.
AND SO TO ANYONE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE THAT MIGHT BE QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD COME TO THESE DISTRIBUTIONS OR MIGHT WONDER WHAT THEY CAN EXPERIENCE HAVING TO COME TO STAND IN LINE FOR THE FIRST TIME TO RECEIVE FOOD, WE CAN ASSURE YOU THAT IT'S OKAY TO NEED HELP.
EVERYONE NEEDS A LITTLE BIT OF HELP TO GET BY.
WE'RE HERE TO HELP EVERYONE GET THROUGH IT.
WE OBVIOUSLY CANNOT MAKE UP FOR THE NINE MEALS THAT THE FOOD BANK OR THAT SNAP PROVIDES, BUT WE WILL DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ENSURE FAMILIES HAVE WHAT THEY NEED.
CHILDREN DON'T GO WITHOUT OLDER ADULTS, DON'T HAVE TO MAKE DIFFICULT CHOICES.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THE COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU MAYOR WATSON AND JUDGE BROWN.
AND SORRY, MY NAME IS INGRID TAYLOR AND I'M THE CEO OF UNITED WAY FOR GREATER AUSTIN FOR OVER 20 YEARS.
UNITED WAY'S 2 1 1 HAS BEEN A LIFELINE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS SEEKING RESOURCES WITH THE HALT OF SNAP BENEFITS.
WE KNOW MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS WILL BE SEEKING FOOD SUPPLIES AND OUR TEAM IS PREPARED TO HELP REFER ALL COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THOSE SERVICES AT THE FOOD BANK.
WE'RE ALSO PREPARED TO REFER OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED TO ALL THE SERVICES THAT WE REFER TO EVERY DAY AND HAVE FOR DECADES, INCLUDING UTILITY, HELP WITH UTILITIES, HELP WITH HEALTHCARE RESOURCES, CHILDCARE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
THERE'S THREE THINGS I WANT TO CONVEY AROUND 2 1 1.
ANYONE CAN CALL ANY TIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT.
THERE'S NO SCREENING, THERE'S NO ELIGIBILITY, AND THIS IS ALL CONFIDENTIAL.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT WHEN YOU CALL, YOU WILL HEAR A PERSON ON THE OTHER LINE, A PERSON WHO IS TRAINED, WHO IS COMPASSIONATE, WHO WILL LISTEN, AND WHO WILL REFER YOU TO A TRUSTED RESOURCE.
THIRD, THE RESOURCES THAT YOU WILL BE REFERRED TO WHEN YOU CALL 1 1 9 2 1 1 ARE UP TO DATE.
YOU WILL KNOW WHAT THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE, YOU WILL KNOW WHAT THE HOURS ARE SO THAT YOU CAN GET THE SERVICES YOU NEED AT THE RIGHT TIME.
ALL OF THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT OUR WEBSITE, ALSO UNITED WAY AUSTIN.ORG, WHERE YOU CAN FIND CLICKS AND LINKS TO GET A CURRENT AND UP TO DATE INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF THE SHUTDOWN, HOW TO HELP OUR NEIGHBORS IN NEED AND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
EVERY 2 1 1 CALLER IS NOT JUST A NUMBER.
IT IS A MOTHER SEEKING SHELTER, A TEEN WITH MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, A VETERAN SEEKING SUPPORT, A FAMILY SEEKING THE MEAL FOR THAT EVENING.
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT NO ONE FACES THAT HARDSHIP ALONE.
WE'RE HERE THIS MORNING BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT IN THE HISTORY OF, OF AUSTIN AND THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, AS YOU'VE HEARD.
AND SO WE NEED TO DO THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE.
I'M VERY APPRECIATIVE THAT WE'RE ALSO JOINED HERE TODAY BY THE CITY MANAGER, TC BROAD ACTS.
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THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN ALSO HAS AVAILABLE, INCLUDING WITH AUSTIN ENERGY, FOR EXAMPLE, TO HELP WITH, UH, UTILITY BILLS IN A TIME OF, OF NEED OR CRISIS LIKE THIS.UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE HELPFUL, UH, TO THOSE THAT FIND THEMSELVES IN, IN, IN A TOUGH SITUATION WITH THE, UM, STOPPING OF THESE BENEFITS.
YOU CAN CALL 3 1 1 IN, IN THOSE CASES.
AND WE WILL ALSO HAVE A WEBSITE UP THAT WILL DO A COUPLE OF THINGS FOR YOU.
ONE IS IT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO REFER PEOPLE TO, UH, CITY PROGRAMS. THAT CAN BE HELPFUL.
IT'LL HAVE INFORMATION REGARDING COUNTY PROGRAMS AND IT WILL HAVE INFORMATION REGARDING WHAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT DIFFERENT NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY AND HOW TO, HOW PE PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE, ACCESS THOSE AS WELL.
SO I, I JUST, I WANT TO UNDERSCORE EVERYTHING YOU'VE HEARD.
THIS IS A, A, A CRITICAL POINT IN A LOT OF PEOPLE'S LIVES AND WE WANT TO BE AVAILABLE TO THEM.
WE LIVE IN A REALLY WONDERFUL PLACE.
AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS IS A REALLY WONDERFUL PLACE WITH GREAT SUCCESS.
WE NEED TO SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY CAN SUPPORT OUR FRIENDS AND OUR NEIGHBORS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH CONTRIBUTIONS, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH PROVIDING CANNED GOODS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
GO TO THEIR WEBSITE AND PLEASE EVERYBODY PITCH IN, EVERYBODY BE A PART OF THIS SO THAT THIS GREAT PLACE THAT WE LIVE WILL LIFT UP THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE, UH, SOME NEEDS WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.
IT, IT WILL BE, IT HAS NOT BEEN BECAUSE THERE WAS HOPE THAT CERTAIN THINGS WOULD HAPPEN BEFORE NOW.
UM, BUT THERE'S, AS YOU MIGHT GUESS, THERE'S CONSISTENT CONVERSATION BETWEEN, UH, THIS BUILDING AND THAT BUILDING.
AND, UM, AND WE'RE OF COURSE GONNA BE HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC ITEM IN, IN PART TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT CAN BE DONE.
BUT PART OF WHAT JUDGE BROWN SAID, AND I'LL LET HIM REITERATE HIS POINT IS THIS CAN'T FALL ON LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
IT, IT'S, IT'S MANY PEOPLE'S FIRST INSTINCT TO SAY, WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, LET'S TURN TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND HAVE THEM PICK IT UP.
BUT THE BIG, A BIG PROBLEM WITH THAT IS YOU'VE HEARD THE NUMBERS AND YOU CANNOT RELY, WE CANNOT ASK LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PICK UP FEDERAL PROGRAMS OR STATE PROGRAMS. FRANKLY, IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, THE QUESTION ABOUT CONVERSATIONS WITH THE STATE IS SO IMPORTANT WITH THE STATE'S SURPLUS AND THE ABILITY TO, TO FILL IN SOME GAPS, UH, INCLUDING, WELL, INCLUDING WITH REGARD TO FOOD INSECURITY.
THAT IS ONE OF THE PLACES THAT WE OUGHT TO LOOK.
THAT IS WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, IS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT RESOURCES ARE ARE AVAILABLE.
AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THOSE, BUT, BUT I WANNA BE VERY CLEAR, THIS, THIS CANNOT BE SOMETHING THAT WE THINK CITY OR COUNTY GOVERNMENT STEP IN AND CAN JUST TAKE CARE OF.
YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? UM, I MEAN, I, I'M, I'M STILL HOPING THAT THEY'RE GONNA START MEETING IN DC AND IN THIS AT SOME POINT.
I MEAN THAT, THAT IS STILL MAYBE NOT A REALISTIC OPTION, BUT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD DO, IS THEY COULD END ALL OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IMMEDIATELY IF THEY WANTED TO.
UM, TO THE POINT ABOUT COLLEGE STUDENTS, THE FOOD BANK DISTRIBUTES AT 13 COLLEGES ACROSS THEIR DISTRICT, INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
WE HAVE AN ITEM ON TUESDAY'S, COMMISSIONER'S COURT WHERE WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS THIS AND WE'LL HAVE HAD AT THAT POINT, A FEW DAYS OF SEEING WHAT IS HAPPENING.
UM, BUT YEAH, THE, THE SCALE OF THE CUTS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHAT YOU HEARD FROM THE FOOD BANK IS THAT IT'S NINE TIMES, BASICALLY NINE TIMES WHAT THE FOOD BANK PROVIDES.
WE, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE UP LONG TERM IN PARTICULAR FOR AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
WE COULD DO IT FOR MAYBE A FEW DAYS, MAYBE A COUPLE WEEKS.
BUT MAN, IF THIS CONTINUES, IF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO CAUSE THIS CHAOS AND FAILS TO PROVIDE SNAP BENEFITS LONG TERM, THAT'S, THAT'S A BIG PROBLEM.
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UM, SAY SOMETHING, SOMEBODY ELSE.WHAT THE DIFFERENCE, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS BETWEEN WHAT IS BEING PROVIDED AND WHAT, SO THE DIFFERENCE IS ABOUT $16 MILLION A MONTH, THAT IS WHAT TRAVIS COUNTY RECEIVES.
TRAVIS COUNTY FAMILIES RECEIVE IN FROM SNAP.
RIGHT? BUT I MEAN, BUT YOU'RE MAKING ADDITIONAL PURCHASES.
SO WHAT GAP WILL BE FOR THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK IT DEPENDS HOW FAR THE SHUTDOWN GOES.
ONE THING I DO WANT TO POINT OUT, THIS ISN'T OBVIOUSLY JUST HAPPENING IN AUSTIN OR TRAVIS COUNTY.
THIS IS HAPPENING ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WE'VE GOT FOOD BANKS AND OTHERS TRYING TO BUY UP SUPPLIES TO THINK TO, TO PLAN FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS OR FEW WEEKS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT'S GONNA RAISE PRICES FOR GROCERIES AND OTHER NECESSITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO THAT, THAT IS MAKING IT WORSE.
I DON'T, DO YOU WANNA SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, OKAY.
THE REALITY IS, IS THAT THERE IS AN UNKNOWN, RIGHT? WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF HOUSEHOLDS THAT RECEIVE SNAP.
WE KNOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNT THEY WERE RECEIVE.
BUT TO JUDGE BROWN'S POINT, WE CAN PLAN TO PURCHASE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, BUT THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR A NONPROFIT TO SPEND A MILLION DOLLARS A WEEK TO KEEP THIS GOING.
UH, WE ALSO KNOW THAT EVEN IF WE ARE ORDERING 43 TRUCKLOADS OF FOOD PER WEEK TO TRY AND MAKE UP FOR THE DEFICIT, EVERY FOOD BANK, USA AROUND THE COUNTRY IS ALSO DOING THAT, WHICH MEANS THERE COULD BE A BACKLOG OF FOOD, WHICH MEANS THE COST OF FOOD GOES UP.
WE ALSO DON'T KNOW IF SNAP RECIPIENTS WILL COME TO, UH, THE FOOD BANK IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS, WHERE TRADITIONALLY THEY WOULD COME IN THE THIRD AND FOURTH WEEK WHEN SNAP BENEFITS HAVE RUN OUT.
SO IT'S NOT EVEN A QUESTION OF HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE WILL COME, BUT WITH THE FREQUENCY AND THE INTENSITY WITH WHICH THEY'LL NEED SUPPORT.
AND SO UNFORTUNATELY TO THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IS THERE IS AN UNKNOWN ABOUT WHAT THAT GAP WILL BE.
UM, AND TWO, THE MAYOR AND THE JUDGE'S POINT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.
NONPROFITS CAN'T DO THIS ALONE.
AND SO WE DO NEED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO OPEN.
AND THE, THE ONE THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS, THANK GOD WE HAVE THE NON-PROFITS.
THANK GOD WE HAVE THEM READY TO DO WHAT IT IS THEY'RE DOING.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE WAY THIS OUGHT TO WORK.
WE, WE, WE SHOULD NOT BE IN A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE HOLDING A PRESS CONFERENCE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO FILL THE GAP WHEN IT'S HAPPENING.
AS A RESULT OF PEOPLE BEING UNABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.
THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE GOING TO SUFFER AS A RESULT OF THIS.
AND SO WE CAN PLAY MATH GAMES, WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE NET IS OF ALL OF THAT.
BUT WHAT ARE WE DOING THERE? ARE PEOPLE GOING TO SUFFER AS A RESULT? AND WE NEED TO ADDRESS THAT.
WHAT HAPPENS, GOD FORBID IF WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY OR A DISASTER OF SOME KIND DURING THIS, WHEN NORMALLY WE WOULD BE TURNING TO DIFFERENT GROUPS TO HELP US DURING THAT EMERGENCY OR DISASTER.
WE CAN'T HAVE GOVERNMENT FAIL SO DRAMATICALLY THAT WE'RE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S GOING TO FILL THE GAP.
STUDENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS AREN'T GOING TO HAVE AS MUCH FOOD.
THAT MEANS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING AS WELL IN OUR SCHOOLS.
THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT A NET OUT OF HOW MANY DOLLARS GET USED.
AND I KNOW THAT WASN'T YOUR QUESTION, BUT, BUT WE OUGHT TO BE, WE OUGHT TO BE EMPATHETIC ENOUGH TO, TO GET THIS FIXED.
WE SHOULD NOT USE THE MOST VULNERABLE IN OUR SOCIETY AND OUR COMMUNITIES AS PAWNS IN A DISAGREEMENT INSTEAD OF MAKING SURE THEY HAVE DINNER.
WHY DON'T WE DO ONE MORE QUESTION, ALL RIGHT, OR NOT, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO THE MEDIA GETTING THIS MESSAGE OUT.
THE KEY PART OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO THOSE WHO NEED HELP BECAUSE OF WHAT MAY BE HAPPENING TOMORROW.
WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT HELP, UTILIZE THAT, SEEK ACCESS AND GET, GET THE INFORMATION, AND GET THE, THE, THE FOOD THAT YOU MAY NEED.