A Heartfelt Call to Action: Supporting Our Community During SNAP Funding Crisis

We want to sincerely thank all of you for the kindness and generosity you've already shown. Many of you have reached out, asking how you can help our coworkers, neighbors, and families impacted by the current SNAP funding situation and other policy changes affecting food security. Your compassionate response is a true reflection of our shared values of kindness and generosity.

Our Commitment to Addressing Food Insecurity

As an organization focused on the safety and well-being of our community, addressing food insecurity has long been a priority. We understand that this funding situation will only increase the need, and we are actively preparing to strengthen our pathways of support.

Our Case Management Department has provided us with helpful “Food Assistance Resources" that can be found on the right side of the team's CookNet site. Here are links to the resources provided:

Here is a high-level overview of how our teams are working to support patient families and the broader low-income community:

Improving Access to Healthy Food: Cook Children’s Center for Community Health (C4CH), Cook Children’s Health Plan (CCHP), the Neighborhood Health Centers (NHCs), and our Quality & Safety Department are actively working to improve access to nutritious food.
Expanding Community Partnerships: C4CH is focused on securing at least three additional community-based partnerships to strengthen our role as a key community partner in the fight against food insecurity.
Direct SNAP/WIC Assistance: Our C4CH Community Health Workers (CHWs) continue to provide essential WIC/SNAP/Medicaid application information, connecting families directly with resources.
Minimizing Food Waste: We are working with our Food & Nutrition department to maximize efforts to minimize food waste by exploring ways to route recently expired and/or surplus food to those in need.
Future Initiatives: We are exploring additional SNAP assistance opportunities with organizations like the Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) and the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) to meet the anticipated increased demand.

How You Can Get Involved: Ideas for Action

Your desire to help is inspiring. Now, more than ever, we can put our values of kindness and generosity into meaningful action. The most effective way to help our communities right now is by getting involved with local food banks and hunger-relief organizations, as they anticipate a significant rise in need.

Here are some ideas for how you and your colleagues can put our value of generosity into action:

Organize a Team Volunteer Event
- Reach out to the Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) to organize a group event. You can volunteer to sort and pack food, help in the community kitchen, or assist with mobile distributions. This is a fantastic way to foster collaboration and make a tangible impact.
Financial Donations
- Monetary gifts are often the most impactful, as food banks can purchase food in bulk at discounted rates, stretching every dollar further. Consider donating to your local food bank (like TAFB or NTFB) or any hunger-relief organization in your community. This simple act of generosity ripples throughout the community.
Host a Virtual Fundraiser
- We are partnering with Karen Love and the Tarrant Area Food Bank to set up a virtual fundraiser benefitting TAFB that staff can opt to participate in. Look out for details on how you can easily contribute!
Connect Locally
- Research other resources in your area, such as community fridges or local food pantries (often run by churches or smaller non-profits), and ask them what they need most—it could be specific non-perishable goods, household items not covered by SNAP, or volunteers for delivery and distribution. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, makes a difference.

Thank you again for your unwavering commitment to our Promise and to the well-being of every family we serve. Your spirit of kindness and generosity will create moments of magic for many families in need.