SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Breitbart Texas observed a flurry of activity at one of Texas’s largest food bank operations as the number of those in need of assistance during the longest-running government shutdown has increased by 50 percent. The San Antonio Food Bank, a nonprofit organization, has seen a 50,000-resident increase in those requiring assistance each week during the shutdown.
Breitbart Texas visited the San Antonio Food Bank, a sprawling 40-acre campus located on the city’s westside. Michael Guerra, the food bank’s chief philanthropy 0fficer, described the monumental task to meet the needs of more than 150,000 residents in Southwest Texas who rely on the San Antonio Food Bank to supplement their weekly food needs.
Guerra told Breitbart Texas about the unique situation facing San Antonio during the government shutdown. Texas’s second-largest city, also known as “Military City USA,” is home to more than 80,000 active-duty service members, nearly 30,000 military dependents, and more than 30,000 federal contractors. As the government shutdown continues, Guerra says the number of families needing food assistance may increase if soldiers, airmen, and other government employees are not paid.
As reported by Breitbart News, an anonymous friend has donated $130 million to compensate soldiers thus far. However, if no additional funding is received, the roster of those seeking assistance may increase dramatically if military members do not receive compensation.
Guerra says the threat of a potential reduction or discontinuation of SNAP benefits altogether could exacerbate the situation. The number of residents in Bexar County who rely on SNAP benefits exceeds 300,000, according to Guerra. Currently, nearly 500,000 residents rely on assistance from the San Antonio Food Bank each month. Guerra says the number of residents served has increased by more than ten percent per week, and the increase shows no signs of slowing if the government shutdown continues.
The San Antonio Food Bank relies on donations of food products and funds to continue operating at the required pace. Recently, the organization responded to the deadly flooding on Independence Day in the Texas Hill Country. Guerra says that the event also created a spike in the number of residents requiring assistance in late summer and continued almost into the October federal government shutdown.
Guerra says the San Antonio Food Bank’s ability to meet the increased demand for services is strictly in the hands of donors who continue to give. The food bank ranks high among nonprofits, ensuring that 98 percent of all donations go directly to those in need. According to their 2024 funding report, only two percent of available funds are dedicated to administrative costs and salaries for the massive operation that serves a geographic area encompassing 29 Texas counties.
Guerra described the contributions made by the food bank’s donors, saying, “San Antonio, I think, is the most generous city in the country. We are a mostly blue-collar city, we get a lot of small continuous donations week in and week out that help us tick.”
Guerra says the San Antonio Food Bank must continue to keep a forward-looking posture of readiness for not only a continuation of the government shutdown but also for other emergencies, such as hurricanes or flooding, that can also strain the resources available to meet the needs of residents within the service area.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
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