Waco, Texas faces higher-than-average food insecurity, compounded by underutilization of SNAP benefits. The McLennan County Hunger-Free Community Coalition (HFCC) launched a local survey to identify barriers to SNAP participation and utilization. These findings will guide community-driven strategies and the development of their community strategic plan. 

Despite prolonged and continual investment in federal nutrition programs, food insecurity remains persistent in cities like Waco, Texas. In 2022, The Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) Waco Community Needs Assessment reported Waco had a food insecurity rate of 19.7%, which was significantly higher than the Texas state average of 14.2%. In 2022, approximately 72,000 residents were SNAP-eligible, but only 35,000 were enrolled. Local organizations and residents report that both upstream barriers—like agricultural constraints and federal nutrition program shortcomings—and downstream barriers—such as stigma and lack of awareness—contribute to persistent food access issues. Even with SNAP assistance sites in the area, many residents still required help to apply. Recognizing the urgency of the issue, Prosper Waco spearheaded the effort to bring Waco stakeholders together to form the McLennan County Hunger-Free Community Coalition (HFCC), which officially began meeting in 2024. Following The Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty’s model, the HFCC’s mission is to reduce food insecurity and ensure all residents have equitable access to a variety of nutritious foods through strong community collaboration and a systems-based approach.

To identify what’s contributing to Waco’s SNAP gap, the McLennan County HFCC launched a local survey to better understand experiences and perceptions around SNAP. The survey was administered by actively involved hunger relief partners, including: Caritas of Waco, Family of Faith Worship Center, McLennan Community College, The Shepherd’s Heart, Texas State Technical College, Waco Family Medicine, and the Waco/McLennan County Public Health District. Respondents were individuals actively seeking hunger relief through one of the organizations listed above, rather than from a general sample of Waco’s population. A total of 172 respondents completed the survey, which asked about SNAP participation, application experiences, perceptions of eligibility, and sources of food access. The survey sought to inform both local programming and broader advocacy efforts. By centering community voices, HFCC ensured that data collected reflected real barriers residents faced, rather than assumptions. This participatory approach built trust with the community while equipping local organizations with evidence to refine outreach, improve SNAP navigation, and advocate for systemic changes at the state level.

60% of respondents reported not participating in SNAP and their main reasons for not applying included uncertainty about eligibility, not knowing how to apply, and believing “others needed it more.” Additionally, the most requested resource needed to apply for SNAP by nonparticipants was application assistance. Among those who reported participating in SNAP, most noted gathering required documents as the most challenging part of the application process, and, on a scale of 1 to 5, the average difficulty for completing the SNAP application was 2.64. 54% of SNAP participants said their benefits only lasted 2–3 weeks, requiring them to visit food pantries and distributions on a weekly basis. The data gave the HFCC concrete direction for improving community outreach and enrollment assistance. These findings raised important follow-up questions and spurred discussions among HFCC partners about influence of family composition, local resources, and SNAP’s adequacy in meeting household needs. The survey allowed for data collection and dialogue between community partners, which set the stage for more coordinated strategic discussions to address the SNAP gap. 

Our lessons learned:

• Meet people where they are: Administering surveys through trusted hunger-relief partners allows for more candid feedback
• Perceptions matter as much as logistics: Even if resources exist, perceptions of SNAP strongly influence SNAP participation
• Collaboration strengthens action: Involving multiple hunger-relief partners, health districts, and faith-based organizations ensured findings are representing different groups in our community
• Data sparks dialogue: Discussing survey findings spurred questions among partners about their program adequacies, outreach strategies, and structures

The HFCC learned that addressing food insecurity requires a multi-leveled approach. Not one that simply focuses on program access, but one that is built on community voices, collaboration, and policy advocacy. With this, the coalition is able to develop strategies to de-stigmatize SNAP, strengthen outreach efforts, and simplify the application process. Other communities can replicate this model by first listening to the community, then engaging in cross-sectoral collaboration among diverse partners.