Texas state Rep. Terry Meza of Irving, who represents District 105 in the Texas House, will host Food Insecurity Town Hall and Food Drive: Understanding the Challenges and Finding Solutions Together, a community town hall on food insecurity and hunger in Irving on Saturday, June 13, “bringing together local nonprofit leaders, advocates and residents to discuss the challenges facing families across the community and explore solutions to address growing needs,” according to a press release announcing the event.
The event will be from 10 a.m.-noon at Dallas College Irving Center, 1081 W Shady Grove Road in Irving.
The event will feature a panel discussion with community partners including Kyle Taylor of Irving Cares, Hector Serrato of the North Texas Food Bank and Jenna Reinke of Catholic Charities.
Participants will discuss the current state of food insecurity in Irving, the role of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in supporting Texas families and strengthening the economy, and recent changes to SNAP that could impact local residents.
“Food insecurity affects thousands of families in our community, and addressing it requires all of us working together to find solutions,” said Meza. “This town hall is an opportunity to learn about how we can better support our neighbors.
“As a strong advocate for working families, I am deeply concerned about the challenges many are facing, including rising food costs, reductions to federal nutrition assistance programs, and the uncertainty stemming from ongoing immigration enforcement actions,” she added.
Those attending bring non-perishable food items to benefit local families experiencing food insecurity to the discussion as part of a community food drive.
The event is free and open to the public.
— Tammye Nash