The San Antonio Food Bank’s request for emergency state aid remains on hold in Austin, but the nonprofit received some good news when federal authorities confirmed that they would reimburse Texas if it provides much-needed help.

Neither Gov. Greg Abbott’s office nor the Texas Division of Emergency Management responded to requests for comment Monday, but Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said FEMA would pay back aid that states provide to food banks during the coronavirus pandemic.

“There is a process in place to reimburse state, local and tribal entities who provide assistance to food banks,” a FEMA spokesman said.

While it has received hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations since Friday, the Food Bank continues to plead for financial aid from the state as COVID-19 wreaks devastating economic havoc on San Antonio and surrounding counties.

In the wake of the Food Bank distributing supplies to 10,000 families at a drive-through giveaway late last week on the South Side and the heart-wrenching photographs that captured that desperation, the Food Bank received $750,000 in donations, Food Bank President and CEO Eric Cooper said.

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“And that’s not to mention the food companies stepping up with dozens of truckloads of much-needed food,” Cooper said, referring to H-E-B, Labatt Foods, Ben E. Keith Foods, Nature Sweet and Sysco Foods.

Still, officials stressed that the Food Bank remains in dire need of the $12 million worth of help from the state it is seeking to feed the growing number of food-insecure households.

“We expect to fall short $1 million in food and funds this week and $2 million in food and funds next week,” Food Bank spokesman Michael Guerra said.

“We can keep up with a portion of the increase,” thanks to the recent donations, Guerra said, “but to truly meet the need, our soon-to-be-fatiguing philanthropy system may need a public lifeline.”

Facing an unprecedented demand-and-supply shortage, the Food Bank filed a State of Texas Assistance Request (STAR) nearly two weeks ago with the state emergency agency asking for 171 truckloads of food.

Feeding Texas, a 21-member statewide network of food banks, said STAR requests seeking food aid have also been filed by the North Texas Food Bank in Dallas, the West Texas Food Bank, which serves the Midland/Odessa area, and the Houston Food Bank.

Whether those requests will be fulfilled depends on FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole said.

“When FEMA funds are provided to states, they are typically provided at a 75 percent cost share, so the feds pick up 75 percent of the costs and the state or local government picks up 25 percent,” she said. “So, I am guessing the state has been sitting on those STAR requests waiting to see if it will be eligible for this reimbursement through FEMA.

“Now that they have that guidance (from FEMA) on whether and on how they can apply for those funds, you may see some movement on these STAR requests.”

Cole said Feeding Texas has been working with the state for about a month to make a statewide request with the federal emergency agency for funding to help all 21 Texas food banks.

“We are in imminent danger over the next two weeks of running out of food,” she said.

Bexar County’s legislative delegation sent a letter of support to Abbott and the state emergency agency, stating that it’s “imperative” the Food Bank receive the requested state aid.

Rep. Ina Minjarez, D-San Antonio, whose District 124 includes the Food Bank, drafted the letter.

“Striking” overhead photography published in Friday’s San Antonio Express-News showing thousands of cars lined up to receive groceries at the Food Bank’s latest giveaway spurred lawmakers into action, Minjarez said.

“I have family members who live outside of Texas who saw that photograph,” Minjarez said. “It has such a profound effect on people. It did what it needed to do.”

Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, echoed Minjarez’s comments.

“Seeing those images were really just a tremendous gut check for me and other members of the delegation,” Fischer said.

The result was a strong bipartisan effort to get the Food Bank the help it needs to feed hungry San Antonio-area residents.

“It’s not a partisan issue,” said Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio. “It’s a survival issue for a lot of folks.”

Several of the lawmakers, including Fischer, donated money out of their own campaign funds to the Food Bank.

Fischer also asked friends on Facebook to give.

“These are folk struggling to make ends meet themselves, but they recognized the greater obligation to help others in much worse shape,” he said.

To help the Food Bank, go to safoodbank.org/donate

Tom Orsborn covers sports news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. To read more from Tom, become a subscriber. torsborn@express-news.net | Twitter: @tom_orsborn