SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio Food Bank is preparing for an increase in demand following recent employee layoffs due to federal budget cuts made nationwide under President Donald Trump’s administration.
“We’ve lost literally millions of dollars in funding for food, and we’re going to get a wave of recently furloughed or let go workers from the federal government,” said Eric Cooper, San Antonio Food Bank CEO and president. “At both ends, from supply to demand, it’s going to be a difficult year for us at the San Antonio Food Bank.”
People at the food bank are feeling “incredibly anxious,” Cooper told KSAT during an interview.
“It takes me back to the federal shutdown when federal workers, because of irreconcilable differences with the budget, federal workers went without paychecks, and it hit so hard that we started to really feel at the food bank how many federal workers are in our community,” Cooper said.
“The food bank has already seen an uptick in demand as the “environment has gotten uncertain,” Cooper said.
District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez and District 4 Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia — who are both running for mayor in the May 3 election — sent a Council Consideration Request, or CCR, to City Manager Erik Walsh on March 3 asking him to consider a “Re-employment Assistance for Federal Talent (RAFT)” program to help federal employees who were recently laid off.
RAFT would actively recruit the “most qualified” federal workers and also host specific training and placement services, according to the CCR. Additionally, the program would include job fairs and coordinate with local nonprofits to provide support.
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“We haven’t yet felt a significant impact from federal worker displacement, but we know we will,” Cooper said.
The food bank “stands ready” to supply food and help families apply for public benefits, Cooper added.
The San Antonio Food Bank can be reached at 210-431-8326 or click the ‘Get Help’ button on its website.
“San Antonio has always been there for us,” Cooper said. “Now’s the time to be there for these federal workers that are looking for work and will be looking for help. I know for us at this food bank, we are going to be there for them as much as we can."
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