Feeding Houston's Hungry: One Million Pounds a Day
2020-11-02
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1The line of cars waiting to receive boxes of food from the Houston Food Bank can be up to a kilometer long.
2Based in the state of Texas, the organization is the country's largest food bank.
3It is offering huge amounts of food to workers who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis, as well as other people in need.
4Herman Henton, an unemployed construction worker, is among those receiving food.
5His wife works at a home improvement store.
6She is now the only person in their family of five who has a job.
7The family tried to get food stamps.
8But they were told they could only have $25 of federal food assistance each month.
9"As a man, as a father, as a provider, I felt at a low point. I felt low," Henton said.
10He was waiting in his car near West Houston Assistance Ministries,
11which gets food from the Houston Food Bank for its care packages.
12Food provided by the Houston Food Bank now averages about 800,000 pounds each day.
13Two pounds is a little less than one kilogram.
14The organization reached the one-million-pound mark for the first time in the spring, a level it still sometimes reaches.
15Before the coronavirus crisis, the group's average daily distribution was 450,000 pounds.
16That information comes from Brian Greene, president of the Houston Food Bank.
17Then, workers in Houston and millions around the country suddenly lost work and were forced to depend on the free food.
18"It had that feeling of a disaster, like the hurricanes," Greene said.
19It was shocking how the lines grew so quickly, he added.
20Houston is known as one of America's most ethnically and racially diverse cities.
21But it soon became known for something else: being in serious need.
22The food bank hurried to gather enough milk, bread, vegetables and meat from a lot of places to feed the hungry.
23Many people in Houston and around the country do not make a livable wage.
24Their money is gone by the time they get their next paycheck.
25Twenty-two million people across the country lost jobs when the coronavirus first hit.
26Close to 11 million of those jobs have not yet been restored.
27Forty percent of American families have less than $400 to pay for unexpected costs, Greene said.
28The information comes from a study by the U.S. Federal Reserve System.
29"So, when this crisis hit, the number of families who needed assistance was immediate and very large," Greene said.
30After Henton lost his job, he and his wife ate one meal each day so that their three children could eat all three meals.
31His family is one of around 126,500 area families that the Houston Food Bank has helped with boxes of food every week since March.
32Workers and volunteers separate, load and pack the food onto trucks.
33The trucks then bring the loads to distribution centers around the city and towns outside the city.
34Nationally, free food distribution has risen sharply and continues to stay high, noted Katie Fitzgerald.
35She heads the organization Feeding America, which runs a national network of 200 food banks.
36Her group increased the amount of food it distributes to two billion pounds from April through June.
37During the January-March period, it distributed 1.3 billion pounds.
38The federal government has helped meet the demand with programs such as Farmers to Families.
39The program buys farm goods such as vegetables, meat and diary that had been produced for restaurants that are now closed.
40It gives these goods to food banks and the distribution groups they work with.
41But the money for the U.S. Agriculture Department's Farmers to Families program runs out at the end of October.
42Individual food banks also get 20 percent to 40 percent of food they distribute from other government programs.
43That includes one that helps farmers who were hurt by foreign tariffs.
44The government buys their vegetables and meats and makes sure that producers get paid and the food does not go to waste.
45That program is funded so far through 2020.
46The food banks get the rest of what they distribute from food markets or farmer donations or buy it with donated money.
47Fitzgerald said the nation's food banks have enough food to meet U.S. demand -- for now.
48But she said distributors "are concerned about the future" as winter nears.
49I'm Alice Bryant.
1The line of cars waiting to receive boxes of food from the Houston Food Bank can be up to a kilometer long. 2Based in the state of Texas, the organization is the country's largest food bank. It is offering huge amounts of food to workers who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus crisis, as well as other people in need. 3Herman Henton, an unemployed construction worker, is among those receiving food. His wife works at a home improvement store. She is now the only person in their family of five who has a job. The family tried to get food stamps. But they were told they could only have $25 of federal food assistance each month. 4"As a man, as a father, as a provider, I felt at a low point. I felt low," Henton said. He was waiting in his car near West Houston Assistance Ministries, which gets food from the Houston Food Bank for its care packages. 5Food provided by the Houston Food Bank now averages about 800,000 pounds each day. Two pounds is a little less than one kilogram. The organization reached the one-million-pound mark for the first time in the spring, a level it still sometimes reaches. 6Before the coronavirus crisis, the group's average daily distribution was 450,000 pounds. That information comes from Brian Greene, president of the Houston Food Bank. 7Then, workers in Houston and millions around the country suddenly lost work and were forced to depend on the free food. 8"It had that feeling of a disaster, like the hurricanes," Greene said. It was shocking how the lines grew so quickly, he added. 9Houston is known as one of America's most ethnically and racially diverse cities. But it soon became known for something else: being in serious need. The food bank hurried to gather enough milk, bread, vegetables and meat from a lot of places to feed the hungry. 10Many people in Houston and around the country do not make a livable wage. Their money is gone by the time they get their next paycheck. Twenty-two million people across the country lost jobs when the coronavirus first hit. Close to 11 million of those jobs have not yet been restored. 11Forty percent of American families have less than $400 to pay for unexpected costs, Greene said. The information comes from a study by the U.S. Federal Reserve System. "So, when this crisis hit, the number of families who needed assistance was immediate and very large," Greene said. 12After Henton lost his job, he and his wife ate one meal each day so that their three children could eat all three meals. 13His family is one of around 126,500 area families that the Houston Food Bank has helped with boxes of food every week since March. Workers and volunteers separate, load and pack the food onto trucks. The trucks then bring the loads to distribution centers around the city and towns outside the city. 14Nationally, free food distribution has risen sharply and continues to stay high, noted Katie Fitzgerald. She heads the organization Feeding America, which runs a national network of 200 food banks. 15Her group increased the amount of food it distributes to two billion pounds from April through June. During the January-March period, it distributed 1.3 billion pounds. 16The federal government has helped meet the demand with programs such as Farmers to Families. The program buys farm goods such as vegetables, meat and diary that had been produced for restaurants that are now closed. It gives these goods to food banks and the distribution groups they work with. 17But the money for the U.S. Agriculture Department's Farmers to Families program runs out at the end of October. 18Individual food banks also get 20 percent to 40 percent of food they distribute from other government programs. That includes one that helps farmers who were hurt by foreign tariffs. The government buys their vegetables and meats and makes sure that producers get paid and the food does not go to waste. That program is funded so far through 2020. 19The food banks get the rest of what they distribute from food markets or farmer donations or buy it with donated money. 20Fitzgerald said the nation's food banks have enough food to meet U.S. demand -- for now. But she said distributors "are concerned about the future" as winter nears. 21I'm Alice Bryant. 22The Associated Press reported this story. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 23_____________________________________________________________ 24Words in This Story 25food stamps - n. federal aid program that helps low-income Americans add to their grocery budgets 26care package - n. a package of useful or enjoyable items sent or given as a gift to someone 27pound - n. a unit of weight that is equal 0.45 kilograms 28distribution - n. the act of giving or delivering something to people 29hurricane - n. an extremely large, powerful, and destructive storm with very strong winds that occurs especially in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean 30diverse - adj. made up of people or things that are different from each other 31tariff - n. a tax on goods coming into or leaving a country