Shortsighted and dangerous
Re: “Texas leads nation in hunger — Rising prices for necessities outpace D-FW family budgets," May 15 news story.
I was touched by this story by Maria Salette Ontiveros. And I find myself deeply concerned about proposed federal cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which would directly impact millions of Texans.
Right now, 13% of Texans rely on Medicaid for access to health care, and roughly 10% receive SNAP benefits to help put food on the table.
Texas already has the highest rate of food insecurity in the nation, 17.6%, representing 5.4 million of our neighbors, including countless children. How are we going to ensure these individuals, our fellow Texans, receive the care and nutrition they need to live, work and thrive?
Cutting these essential programs isn’t just shortsighted; it’s dangerous. When people lack food and access to preventive medical care, they are more likely to fall seriously ill, overwhelming emergency rooms and increasing long-term public costs.
I urge our U.S. senators and representatives to consider the real human consequences of their votes. Think of the children, the working families and the elderly who depend on these lifelines. We must invest in health and nourishment, not take them away.
Kay L. Viney, Addison
Not a good Texas No. 1
Texans, especially our state leaders, love Texas being No. 1. Texas is now No. 1 in hunger. Our state leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, must be so proud of this achievement.
But seriously, this is appalling for a state as wealthy as Texas with budget surpluses. It is a failure of leadership in Texas.
As a volunteer at the North Texas Food Bank, it hurts to see a statistic like this knowing hundreds of thousands of people in North Texas, mostly the working poor, do not have enough food to eat. I particularly feel let down by our state leaders.
But it is not hunger that is the problem. It is inadequate income so people who are food insecure are housing insecure, transportation insecure and health care insecure. This insecurity hurts our children who go to school hungry, which decreases their ability to learn.
I hope our state and local leaders will look at the state’s hunger ranking, realize there are real people behind the numbers and finally take action to do something about it.
Perhaps Texas needs to find a billionaire who will provide large campaign contributions to elect state officials who will work to end hunger in Texas.
Richard Bach, Garland
Congress, reject budget bill
It’s unfortunate the picture painted about our neighbors in need. Texas leads in two ignominious categories — most hungry and most without health insurance.
For such a prosperous state, it seems hard to comprehend. So many of our neighbors are struggling through hardships, yet their difficult stories have led to minimal change.
I cannot believe that most of us believe this is all right. It seems that our political decisions have led to bad policy, which harms us all.
It is hard to think of a historical example in which societies are more prosperous and secure when so many face significant hardships with no concentrated effort to correct the disparities.
So we must push back and ask our U.S. legislators to vote against the current budget bill. This bill appears to cut funding to both Medicaid and SNAP, which will harm our neighbors in need more.
If we work together and listen to each other, we can find better policy that secures our nation’s future while helping those in need.
Erik Simonsen, McKinney
Not caring for the least
I am a proud fifth-generation Texan. I have visited every area of the state, and wherever I have been from big cities to rural towns, I have found the people friendly, kind and comionate.
Sadly, they do not express those personal traits of loving kindness and empathy in their selections at the ballot box. Because of our state leadership, the sufferings of the least of these in our state are not just neglected but exacerbated.
Not only does Texas lead the nation in hunger, we also lead in the uninsured, are near the top in maternal death rates and near the middle in education. Texas leads the nation in bringing businesses to our state along with population growth.
But all of that economic success is meaningless if we do not have empathy for those in need and help them. As a follower of Jesus, I am sad that my beloved state is not caring for the least of these.
We can and must do better. It begins with voting for those who have comion for those in need.
Cecil Larry Pool, Midlothian
Spend a day at food bank
So Texas leads the nation in hunger. Sad, but I’m not surprised. I volunteer at a North Texas food bank. It’s an easy job. I just smile, take basic information from clients, explain the process and get them on their way to getting food.
So many are seniors trying to live on Social Security. Due to DOGE cutbacks, the North Texas Food Bank had its budget cut by $9 million in 2025. Of course this trickles down to the satellite banks like ours.
Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, where are your hearts? Come spend a day at a food bank. We all volunteer because there is no greater gift to the less fortunate than food. See how real people live.
Then work with Congress to get funding back. By the way, these cuts affect the small farmers in Texas who provide the food, too. We can do better and we must.
Greg Wadley, Arlington
Putting businesses above people
As one would expect, the silence from Gov. Greg Abbott on Texas being No. 1 in hunger was disappointing. Had we had another corporation relocating to Texas, our governor would have been having a press conference announcing the news and how Texas is taking steps to ensure we remain a business-friendly state.
It appears Texas will spare no effort to draw more businesses, but when it comes to addressing the people’s basic needs, like having food to eat, the state has to deliberate its options.
Even a token television appearance by the governor acknowledging the problem and the efforts he will take to make sure no Texan starves to death would have been appreciated. And even more so now with the Trump istration and his DOGE staffers cutting off federal safety nets for those in need.
Tony Torres, Garland