MCALLEN, Texas — Faith leaders, community advocates, and elected officials will gather at The Humanitarian Respite Center on Wednesday morning to deliver an urgent message to voters across the Rio Grande Valley: put anti-hunger policies at the top of the ballot this election season.
At a press briefing scheduled for Oct. 28 at 11:00 a.m. at 111 S. 15th St. in McAllen, Bishop Daniel Flores of the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville and Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez will join members of Bread for the World (BFW) and area clergy to officially launch a regional "Vote to End Hunger" campaign ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.
Organizers emphasize that with food insecurity rising across South Texas, addressing hunger requires systemic policy action beyond charitable food drives—starting with the protection and full funding of federal safety nets like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“Hunger is on the rise, and addressing it goes beyond charity,” noted Felipe Salinas of BFW-RGV. “It is a policy choice because for every meal a food pantry or food bank provides, the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides nine. That’s why who we vote for makes a difference.”
Dr. Rashmi Chandran, President and CEO of the AltaCair Foundation, echoed that sentiment, noting that lawmakers' decisions directly impact local dinner tables.
“Hunger is on the ballot,” Chandran said. “As voters weigh how they will vote on November 3, we are asking them to consider the hungry and the food insecure on the one hand, and those candidates who support full funding for programs like SNAP on the other.”
Wednesday’s press briefing serves as a direct continuation of momentum generated in early September, when Cortez and Bread for the World co-hosted a major regional forum titled "Hunger in the RGV: A Call to Action" at South Texas College’s Mid-Valley Campus in Weslaco.
During that summit, keynote speaker Dr. Jeremy Everett, executive director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, delivered a stark warning alongside a message of hope, framing food insecurity not as an isolated issue of production, but as a direct indicator of broader socioeconomic inequities.
"Hunger did not cause poverty. It didn't cause underemployment. It didn't cause political division or war. Rather, it is a downstream issue that is the result of upstream injustice," Everett told attendees in September. "When you have structural racism, you will have hunger. When you have gender pay inequality, you will have hunger. When you have widespread underemployment, you will have hunger."
Everett reminded the audience that "hunger is a solvable problem" and challenged leaders to move beyond discussion by engaging directly with legislative leaders.
Putting that directive into immediate action at the September forum, attendees were asked to participate in an "Offering of Letters"—signing formal letters addressed to the Rio Grande Valley’s congressional candidates. The petitions called on candidates to commit to restoring and protecting vital federal SNAP funds, ensuring low-income families in South Texas maintain access to basic nutritional assistance.
Wednesday's event will highlight how moral responsibility intersects with civic engagement. Anchored by scriptures from Matthew 25:35 and Isaiah 58:10, local leaders plan to urge people of faith across Hidalgo, Cameron, Willacy, and Starr counties to bring their values to the voting booth.
Bishop Flores will issue a call to action similar to his Oct. 19 pastoral letter to local Catholics, emphasizing the imperative to vote for the common good rather than self-interest.
“As Catholics, we keep the common good in mind when voting,” Bishop Flores stated in his letter. “This means that we vote not out of self-interest, but out of a concern to promote the good of the whole community… Concerns about how to address issues affecting us locally, like hunger, family separations, community safety, and care for the elderly should also be in our minds as we decide how to vote.”
Judge Cortez reiterated that community leaders must unite to support vulnerable residents, stating that food insecurity affects the entire fabric of South Texas.
“When a parent has to worry about whether there will be enough food for their children, that concern belongs to all of us,” Cortez said. “We are coming together because families in our community are facing that reality, and they should not have to face it alone. By raising our voices together, we can help make sure their needs are seen and that compassion leads to meaningful support. Every family deserves the peace of knowing there will be food on the table.”
The briefing will feature stories illustrating the local impacts of hunger, presented by:
Clergy representing multiple denominations across the Valley will also offer responses, including Rev. Kathryn Escandell of First Presbyterian Church in McAllen, Rabbi Nathan Farb of Temple Emanuel in McAllen, Rev. Gary Conklin of Our Savior Lutheran Church in McAllen, and Rev. Kevin Collins, OMI, of St. Eugene de Mazenod Catholic Church in Brownsville.
Sr. Norma Pimentel, Executive Director of Catholic Charities RGV, will conclude the press conference with a final Call to Action, urging residents to hold candidates accountable long after the ballots are counted.
“Our responsibility as people of faith to end hunger includes a civic duty to vote and continue to be engaged with elected officials once they are in office,” Sister Pimentel said. “We urge voters to contact candidates and elected officials and ask them where they stand on feeding the hungry and the food insecure.”
