Another day, another thing that Donald Trump has disrupted. Despite the president’s promise that tariffs would “make America great again,” the Trump administration has been slashing federal funding across various sectors. One of the hardest-hit organizations is the Texas food bank serving the Austin area. Due to these funding cuts, the food bank is struggling to maintain its usual supply and has been forced to cancel 40 truckloads of food deliveries. That’s a staggering 913,000 pounds of food, enough to provide 716,000 meals to those in need.
The funding cut stems from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to eliminate several support programs. Among these are programs that previously allowed food banks to purchase produce and other products from local farmers. Without this government funding, the Central Texas Food Bank is now forced to spend around $1 million per month to make up for the shortfall.
Food banks aren’t the only ones who will struggle as a result of these cuts. With the termination of the Local Food for Schools program, various schools may have difficulty sourcing local produce to supply their cafeterias. The lack of support for these programs will also worsen the situation for struggling families and communities who already face challenges affording proper meals.
Many people were dismayed by the news, with some questioning whether Trump supporters were satisfied with the outcome after voting for him to be president again. “Is America great again yet?” one user asked, to which another replied, “For the wealthy, it’s never been better!”
One Redditor shared their experience volunteering at a food bank, noting that they deliver to many rural residents, particularly the elderly. “It’s truly the Central Texas Food Bank, which just happens to be located in Austin. A lot of right-wingers will now be punished with literal hunger,” the user remarked.
Some users could only shake their heads, claiming that some Trump supporters would still find a way to blame minorities when they struggle with food. “They’ll find a way to blame immigrants, foreign aid, and trans people, just as they have for the last 10 years. It’s never, ever the fault of a conservative. No matter how direct or obvious the connection may be,” one user said.
Many Redditors lamented the dark future and the coming hardships that Texas residents will face. “I really, seriously don’t get that mindset AT ALL. I think the majority of people have no idea how bad the wealth inequality in this country is, without using an interactive website that makes you scroll for several minutes to see the actual gap,” another user commented.
