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Bexar County authorizes $250,000 grant negotiation with San Antonio Food Bank to boost direct food assistance
Summary
The court authorized negotiation of a $250,000 grant agreement with the San Antonio Food Bank for direct food assistance; commissioners debated using $250,000 from a $1 million outside‑agency allocation before the NOFA cycle but approved the action.
Bexar County Commissioners Court authorized County Judge Peter Sakai to negotiate a $250,000 grant agreement with the San Antonio Food Bank on Jan. 20, directing that the agreement be executed after county attorney approval of terms.
A food‑bank representative told the court the funding will be used for direct food assistance and partnering pantries, and said the organization can stretch funds: "For every $1 we receive, that equals seven meals," the representative said, describing how food‑bank purchasing and partnerships multiply county support.
Commissioners recognized the acute need for food support amid recent federal budget disruptions and asked procedural questions about how the $250,000 relates to the $1,000,000 the court had allocated to outside agencies in the budget. Budget staff explained the $250,000 would come from the previously approved allocation if the court approved the authorization; staff also said a separate NOFA process for remaining funds was already underway with notices and a February deadline for submissions.
Commissioners supported the San Antonio Food Bank's work and voted to authorize the county judge to negotiate and execute the agreement after legal review, while asking staff to report back on the NOFA timeline and whether the county will backfill the allocation in future budget adjustments.
Next steps: The county attorney will review agreement terms and the county judge will execute the contract once legal review is complete; staff will continue the NOFA process for the remaining outside‑agency funds and report to the court on timing.
