Food Insecurity in Cameron County
In Cameron County, 30% of residents live at or below the poverty line, and 1 in 5 individuals face food
insecurity. Located in the Rio Grande Valley, our community knows what it means to face challenges and we also know what it means to come together to overcome them. More than 31,000 children—that's 1 in 4 children—need reliable access to nutritious food. While 81% of food-insecure children qualify for federal nutrition programs, there's a gap between need and available resources and that's exactly where we step in.
Escalating food costs, persistent shortages at local food banks, and limited household savings have increased the need for community support. But here's what we know: when we work together, we can ensure that every family has the food they need. Our community is resilient, and with the right resources and partnerships, no one has to face hunger alone.
Stronger Together
United Way of Southern Cameron County launched United Against Hunger because we knew that collaboration would be our greatest weapon against food insecurity. During the pandemic, when the crisis reached unprecedented levels, we united local pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, and community partners to mount an extraordinary response. Together, we provided over 7 million meals to individuals and families in desperate need. We didn't stop there; we created employment opportunities for furloughed hospitality workers, giving them wages while they devoted their time and energy to food distribution efforts precisely when demand surged and volunteerism declined.
This is what we do: we bring organizations together to work more efficiently and more effectively. We unite to seek funding and make strategic decisions about how to use those resources where they'll have the greatest impact. Because we are stronger united.
Our Work
Food insecurity hasn't gone away and neither have we. This quarter alone, United Against Hunger served 3,845
households—over 7,000 individuals—who sought emergency food assistance through our partner pantry programs. The majority of those we serve are elderly residents living on fixed incomes, facing impossible choices as grocery costs climb and unemployment rates rise.
Right now, we're providing critical funding for food distributions across southern Cameron County, ensuring that hard-to-afford fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat reach our most vulnerable neighbors. We're working with local pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens to build an equitable, efficient food distribution system that meets the changing needs of our community. With persistent shortages at our regional food bank, we are increasingly dependent on community support to keep emergency food assistance available.
We are committed to continuing this work for as long as our community needs us. With the pause in SNAP benefits creating unprecedented demand, our support has never been more essential. Hunger isn't always obvious, people often try to "make do" with whatever they have but over time, food insecurity creates complex health problems, especially for the elderly and those managing chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure.
This work is part of United Way of Southern Cameron County's broader commitment to helping our community thrive.
How You Can Help
Every dollar you donate goes directly toward feeding families in crisis. Your support helps us purchase fresh produce, stock pantry shelves, and ensure that no child goes to bed hungry in southern Cameron County.
- $30 provides five meals at our soup kitchen
- $60 provides one bag of pantry items
- $100 provides a family of four with food for a week
While we hope economic conditions will improve, families need help today. Join us, donate today.