Food Is Nothing More Than Everything

Growing up, I had a lot of food allergies. Combined with the usual childhood picky eating, my diet was extremely limited—and my overall health suffered because of it. I also developed deep anxiety around food. Experiences that should have been joyful, like going out to dinner with family or friends, often left me anxious and upset. Would there be something I could eat on the menu? Would the waiter understand my dietary needs, or make things awkward for the whole table? Would I be the butt of a joke about being “too difficult”?

As I got older, that anxiety only grew. Food—whether at home or out—became uninteresting. I ate because I had to, not because I enjoyed it. For many people, food is just that—a necessity. Regardless of preferences, they don’t have the privilege to be choosy. For millions, food is a matter of survival.

In his book Taste, Stanley Tucci reflects on his relationship to food through his Italian roots, his career, his travels, and his battle with mouth cancer. During treatment, he feared he might never taste food the same way again—if at all. Food had always been how he connected to the world, and losing that connection shook him to his core. “Food not only feeds me,” Tucci writes. “It enriches me. All of me—mind, body, and soul. It is nothing more than everything.”

Food is not only a necessity—it’s the fuel that allows our hearts and minds to flourish. When people go without it, their bodies can’t perform even basic functions, much less devote energy to creativity, learning, or reflection. Our society suffers when we fail to meet such a fundamental need. Food nourishes our bodies, enriches our minds, and strengthens our souls. Feeding our community is one of the most powerful acts of care we can offer.

For those of us who have never had to wonder where our next meal will come from, it can be easy to forget how integral food is to every aspect of life. Our societies move at the pace they do because our ancestors domesticated animals and we learned how to turn them into drive-thru burgers ready in under five minutes. Yet for millions of Americans, access to food remains an everyday struggle.

About one in eight U.S. residents rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), receiving an average of $187 a month per person. Nearly 39% of those recipients are children and adolescents under 18. From 2023 to 2024, the Brazos Valley Food Bank served more than 72,000 unique individuals and distributed over 7.6 million pounds of food.

This month, SNAP benefits are being severely disrupted by the government shutdown. Although partial payments are expected to go out, experts warn that distribution will be delayed due to withheld funds. No matter the amount, many families in our community will still go to bed hungry.

As Christians, we are called to care for those in need. But that doesn’t mean we must shoulder the burden alone. Our neighbors need our collective support—through donations, volunteering, and direct assistance—to help those affected by our government’s failures. Together, we can ensure that no one in our community is left hungry.