HARLINGEN, Texas (Border Report) — As the looming government shutdown threatens the continuity of SNAP benefits, a Rio Grande Valley nonprofit is preparing to assist families who might face food insecurity.
Dr. Rashmi Chandran, the president and CEO of the AltaCair Foundation, recently discussed the nonprofit’s proactive measures on Border Report Live. With the potential end of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds on November 1, the organization is strategizing to meet the needs of the South Texas community.
Currently, over 3.5 million Texans rely on SNAP benefits, making up more than 11% of the state’s population. In the Rio Grande Valley, the Food Bank serves 310,061 individuals across three counties who depend on these benefits.
Dr. Chandran expressed to Border Report’s South Texas correspondent, Sandra Sanchez, that a significant number of families may struggle to secure meals after November 1. This situation hinges on whether Congress resolves the shutdown and approves additional funding for SNAP.
AltaCair Foundation partners with over 150 organizations and corporate partners to bring resources to those in need in the Rio Grande Valley.
Originally from Mumbai, India, Chandran has lived in the Rio Grande Valley for 15 years. She says it is very similar to her homeland of India in terms of families who don’t make enough money and lack basic essentials like health care, food, transportation and other amenities that most Americans take for granted.
Her organization works in colonias , unincorporated rural communities on the border, and takes their needs to area leaders, including local politicians and other nonprofits.
Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, serves on AltaCair Foundation’s board.
About 1 in 8 Americans receive SNAP benefits averaging $187 per month. But unless the government reopens and approves funding for Fiscal Year 2026 there won’t be money to issue payments starting Nov. 1.
The United States spends about $8 billion per month on SNAP subsidies.
On Tuesday, a coalition of two dozen attorneys general from several states and the District of Columbia, sued the Trump administration over its decision to suspend SNAP during the government shutdown. This includes: Massachusetts, California, Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
Texas was not on the list but is expected to be hit hard.
“Here in the Rio Grande Valley, our team is already seeing more families and first-time visitors seeking help as paychecks are missed. Many of our neighbors are worried, unsure if they will receive benefits next month and if they will have food to feed themselves and their families,” Libby Saenz, CEO of the Food Bank RGV, said in a statement.
On Tuesday, Texas House Democrats announced the formation of a Committee on Texas Hunger Crisis. State Rep. Armando Martinez, D-Weslaco, is on the 15-member committee.
Chandran says her office has been reaching out to Martinez and she hopes lawmakers in Austin realize how badly the Rio Grande Valley could be affected, especially since the region has a poverty rate of about 25% — some areas like Starr County top 30%. The poverty rate is nearly double the state rate and triple the national rate.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
