Brazos County Commissioners unanimously approve providing an additional $25,000 to the Brazos Valley Food Bank after SNAP benefits were suspended due to the federal government shutdown.
Commissioner Fred Brown visited WTAW’s The Infomaniacs before the vote took place Thursday morning.
“Normally I would put the brakes on that, but not in this case. We have 3,300 federal workers in the Brazos Valley that haven’t been paid,” says Brown.
According to BVFB Executive Director Theresa Mangapora, 304 households in Brazos County are affected each day by the loss of SNAP benefits.
Brown says it is their job to fund the Food Bank for what they need.
“There shouldn’t be a single kid that normally gets SNAP, that goes hungry in our county,” says Brown.
The BVFB has a special web page with resources to help during the shutdown.
News release from Brazos County:
In response to the federal government shutdown and its effect on those receiving benefits to combat food insecurity, the Brazos County Commissioners have unanimously approved providing an additional $25,000 to the Brazos Valley Food Bank (BVFB) to fill in the gaps of missing SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
A special meeting Thursday, November 6, 2025, allowed Commissioners the opportunity to discuss the effect those missing SNAP benefits have on the local community.
According to BVFB Executive Director Theresa Mangapora, 304 households in Brazos County alone are affected each day by the loss of SNAP benefits. While the Food Bank accepts and warehouses food donations, Mangapora says it’s the local food pantries that distribute to individuals. For perspective, she says one dollar’s worth of SNAP benefits equals nine boxes of food pantry food. And, while the Food Bank’s buying power is able to make one dollar stretch farther than it would at a grocery store, it is less than it used to be due to rising food costs felt by everyone. One dollar in the hands of the Food Bank used to buy five meals. Today, it buys one.
“We are happy to be able to step in and help the Brazos Valley Food Bank provide assistance to our neighbors in need,” said Brazos County Judge Kyle Kacal. “The need is great and our friends at the Food Bank are working hard to meet that need. It’s imperative we all do what we can to help those who are struggling due to the federal government shutdown.”
Mangapora says this is the first government shutdown that affected the distribution of SNAP benefits. The BVFB has a special web page with resources to help during the shutdown: https://www.bvfb.org/government-shutdown-2025.