HFB Advocacy Center
Your Voice Matters: Speak Up for Change
Join Houston Food Bank's team that talks to government leaders. We work to fix the reasons people don't have enough food.
Together, we can build a world that doesn't need food banks. We do this by speaking up for better pay, affordable homes, and healthcare for everyone.
Take Action Now →
Why People Don't Have Enough Food
Too many families can't buy enough healthy food. Why? Because the system doesn't help working families. When times get hard, families can't make ends meet.
Families face impossible choices every day:
- Pay rent or buy food
- See a doctor or buy groceries
- Pay the electric bill or buy healthy meals
These hard choices have bad results. People get sick. Kids miss opportunities. Families need emergency help instead of being able to take care of themselves. Families and the groups that help them keep dealing with the same problems over and over.
To fix this for good, we need to help people get: good-paying jobs, homes they can afford, and healthcare when they need it.
Three Big Problems We Can Fix Together
Research shows three main reasons people don't have enough food:
Not Enough Money
People don't have enough food because they don't earn enough money. They can't pay for all their basic needs.
$41,616 Gap between poverty line and what a family of 4 actually needsOur Neighbor's Voice
"My job is not giving me enough hours. I don't have enough money to pay for food. My rent is too high."
What's happening: More than half of families who don't have enough food work full time. In Texas, pay hasn't gone up as much as everything costs. Home health aides make $10.20 per hour. Cooks make $13 per hour. Retail workers make $11 per hour. That's barely enough to get by.
Housing Costs Too Much
Having a safe home is important for everything. You need a home to keep a job, stay healthy, go to school, and buy good food. But homes cost too much now.
$28/hr What you need to earn to afford rent in Harris CountyOur Neighbor's Voice
"90% of my money went to rent and bills. I was just trying to keep my head above water. I couldn't afford to go to the grocery store."
The problem: Texas is one of the worst states for finding affordable housing. Since 1985, rent has gone up 325% more than people's pay. Even if an eviction case gets dismissed, it still shows up on your record. This makes it hard to find a new place to live.
Healthcare Access
When someone gets sick or has a medical emergency, it starts a chain reaction. Medical bills go up. People miss work and lose money.
2x Texas has twice as many uninsured people as the rest of AmericaOur Neighbor's Voice
"With access to nutritious foods, I was able to focus more on my health and less on financial stress. It has helped me manage my chronic health conditions, like blood pressure."
The cycle: Families who don't have enough food get sick more often. They have more diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Texas has many people without health insurance and many people who can't afford enough food.
How Our Team Makes Change
The Government Relations team talks to government leaders. We share what we learn from our staff, partners, and the people we help. We work to change the big problems that cause hunger and poverty.
Speak Up
We build relationships with elected officials. We tell them about the main problems: people don't earn enough money, housing costs too much, and healthcare is hard to get.
Teach
We share research and real stories from people in our community. We help leaders understand what families really need.
Get Funding
We look for money from the government to help our programs. This money helps us serve more families.
Work Together
We team up with emergency management offices and elected officials. This helps us respond when disasters happen.
Help People Vote
We help neighbors participate in democracy. We run voter programs to make sure everyone's voice is heard.
Use Your Voice: How You Can Help
There are many ways you can speak up for change:
- Contact elected officials: Share your story. Tell them what you need. Talk about better pay, affordable housing, and healthcare.
- Go to community meetings: Join public hearings and town halls. Speak at meetings where decisions get made.
- Join campaigns: Sign petitions. Write letters. Help others learn about important issues.
- Tell your story: Help lawmakers understand how hunger affects real families.
- Stay informed: Follow updates from Houston Food Bank. Learn about new issues.
- Vote: Take part in elections. Make your voice heard through voting.
- Teach others: Share what you learn with friends and family.
What we're fighting for:
- Better pay and protections for workers
- More affordable homes and protection from eviction
- Healthcare for everyone who needs it
- Help for families trying to earn more money
- Affordable childcare
- Better buses and trains so people can get to work
- Stronger food assistance programs
Meet Our Team
Katherine
Team Lead - I want to build a world that doesn't need food banks. I love working with communities to help them use their power. I make sure elected officials know what people really need.
Carolina
I want to serve and help communities. We can't end hunger without fixing the big problems. I work with partners and neighbors to learn what they need.
Aunjel
When people get involved in their community, good things happen. I help people become leaders for change. When we talk to elected officials together, we can make the food system fair for everyone.
Miranda
Every person can shape their community's future. I help neighbors see how powerful their voices are. When people speak up together, they can make real change.
Why This Work Matters
Food banks alone can't end hunger. Emergency food helps right now. But to fix the problem for good, we need to change laws and systems.
When we fix the big problems, good things happen:
- Families with steady jobs can buy healthy food all the time
- Safe homes help people keep jobs, stay healthy, and go to school
- Healthcare keeps small problems from becoming big emergencies
- When families have enough money, they can save and build a better future
- Communities grow strong when everyone can participate
Our Goal: A World That Doesn't Need Food Banks
This goal guides everything we do. When we all speak up for change together, we create a world where everyone has what they need to do well. Working with communities, partners, and elected officials, we can make real change that lasts.
Ready to Make Your Voice Heard? Visit the Action Center to learn about ways you can help create change.
