AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) Officials with the High Plains Food Bank in Texas held a press conference on Tuesday to brief the public on the impact of the recent cancellation of 13 truckloads of food by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which were slated to be delivered to the food bank.

“This decision directly threatens our ability to support thousands of families and individuals across the Texas Panhandle who rely on us for food assistance through our partner feeding partners,” the HPFB said in an announcement, according to affiliate KAMR.

USDA food program’s additional shipments canceled

The food purchases were part of a now-discontinued $500 million nationwide USDA program designed to provide food support to communities in need. While the core USDA program, the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), remains intact, officials stated that the loss of the additional shipments represents approximately 25% of the food bank’s projected inventory for the upcoming year.

Food insecurity and hunger have been worsening in the High Plains, Texas, region in recent years, as noted in previous reports, with the HPFB reporting a 31% increase in the number of families seeking regular help compared to last year. The increased need has been credited in part to rising inflation and the higher cost of groceries.

The HPFB serves more than 13,000 households each month and partners with 127 local agencies, including churches, senior centers, emergency pantries, shelters and soup kitchens, across 29 counties.

1 in 6 people, 1 in 5 children face food insecurity in Texas Panhandle: Report

Board member Don Nicholson said the reduction in supply could soon limit what those partner agencies are able to distribute.

“The problem we run into is when we start talking to our agencies and we say, ‘Hey, we’re not going to have quite as much this month,’” Nicholson said. “It may not necessarily put them in a bind, but it restricts what they can distribute through their organization.”

At a minimum, it is estimated that one in six people and one in five children in the Texas Panhandle face food insecurity. The HPFB is the largest hunger-relief organization in the Texas Panhandle, serving the top 29 counties and partnering with local agencies, including churches, senior centers, child care facilities, halfway houses, soup kitchens, Kids Cafes, emergency pantries, shelters, and other nonprofits to respond to local hunger.

Community members can donate online at HPFB’s website or in person at the food bank’s warehouse, located at 815 Ross St.