Create Healthy Food Security Summit Identifies Priorities for Strengthening Food Access Across the Hill Country

Create Healthy’s Food Security Summit, held last month, brought together community organizations, county and school officials, food bank leaders, law enforcement, educators, and community volunteers to assess food security needs across the Hill Country and identify shared priorities for action.

Representatives from Central Texas Food Bank, San Antonio Food Bank, and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension presented regional data on food insecurity, available resources, and effective practices for addressing food access barriers. Participants then completed facilitated exercises focused on current food security assets, unmet needs, service gaps, effective practices, and opportunities for greater regional coordination. The summit helped update a Hill Country food resource directory, including nearly 60 local resources across five counties and 18 region-wide programs.

Participants also identified recurring barriers that affect food access across the region, including transportation, limited pantry hours, confusion around food stamp program (SNAP) eligibility, stigma, volunteer capacity, food preparation skills, culturally appropriate food options, and limited household infrastructure such as refrigeration, storage, and cooking equipment.

“Collaboration is at the heart of our mission and values, so we appreciate having the opportunity to work alongside like-minded individuals toward increasing food access and addressing systemic barriers,” said Sari Vatske, president and chief executive officer of the Central Texas Food Bank.

Summit participants recommended development of a Hill Country Food Security Coalition, a formal cross-organization network to support shared data, coordinated referrals, and sustained collaboration across the region. Additional recommendations included updating and maintaining the regional resource directory, closing the “SNAP gap” through plain-language outreach and enrollment support, expanding food bank hours, delivery, and transportation options, building volunteer capacity, and embedding dignity-centered service and food literacy into local programs.

“Reliable access to nutritious food supports physical health, mental well-being, and quality of life at every age,” said Jayne Pope, president and CEO of Create Healthy. “The summit gave us an important venue to listen to local organizations, better understand the barriers residents face, and identify where stronger coordination and investment can make the greatest difference.”

Create Healthy will use the summit findings to inform future grantmaking, support the development of a Hill Country Food Security Coalition, and help participating organizations continue building coordinated strategies that respond to local needs.

“Identifying additional areas of strategic focus, like food security, and bringing stakeholders together to advance solutions is how Create Healthy grows and evolves to meet our community’s changing needs,” said Allen Ersch, chair, Create Healthy Impact Council.

Create Healthy added food security as a strategic funding priority in 2026. Funding supports nonprofit programs that expand access to nutritious foods, strengthen local food systems, increase nutrition education, and help residents access available benefits and services.

Food security joins early childhood development, mental health, healthy living, and health education as one of Create Healthy’s strategic funding priorities. Grant applications for the current cycle are now available through Oct. 1. Applications can be found at CreateHealthy.org.