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Ray of Light pantry tells council demand has surged to thousands of people
Summary
A La Porte resident described dramatic growth in need at the Ray of Light food pantry, saying the pantry served roughly 60 families per week in 2022 and has logged 7,610 families (21,156 people) since January; she urged continued support amid Houston Food Bank cuts and limited storage.
Brenda Halberdier, who spoke on behalf of the Ray of Light food pantry, told the council the pantry has seen sharply rising demand and an expanding service area. "Since January of this year, we have seen 7,610 families with 21,156 family members," she said, and described clients who rely on fresh produce and regular weekly distributions.
Halberdier traced the pantry's growth since 1999 and its 2001 affiliation with the Houston Food Bank, and said recent budget cuts at the food bank and limited storage capacity at the pantry have made local donations and cash gifts more critical. She told the council about one regular client whose savings and Social Security were strained by COVID-related costs and who relied on the pantry for weekly food and social support. "The bottom line is the need is still greater, and we remain in a unique position to respond," Halberdier said.
Council members did not take formal action during the public-comment period but staff were asked to note the operational pressures described. The speaker identified the pantry as a ministry of Light of Christ Lutheran Church and said the pantry receives food from the Houston Food Bank, retail partners, anonymous bread donations, local restaurants and churches, and cash donations that enable targeted purchases.
