With inflation and the ongoing government shutdown impacting family budgets, recipients of federal food assistance programs said they’re worried about making ends meet. 

Rio Grande City is working to fill the gaps. The city is partnering with the police department's crime stoppers program and the South Texas Food Bank to create a new food pantry.

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Residents would need to apply to receive assistance.

Rio Grande City Commissioner Rogerio Olivarez said the city plans to open the food pantry in time for the holidays.

“It is going to be a little bit more important now with the SNAP benefits running out on Nov.1, but there is no way we can be in operations by then,” Olivarez said. “We are shooting perhaps around the holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas."

City officials said they need to find a location for the food pantry, and they're working to finalize an agreement with Rio Grande City Grulla ISD to use the Fort Ringgold cafeteria to house the food pantry.

If approved, the city will need to make small renovations to the cafeteria.

The city has set aside $63,000 for the food pantry. Seventy-five percent of it would be used to stock it, and the city will buy the food from the South Texas Food Bank.

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