A small beignet and tapioca shop in northwest Harris County is stepping up to help families in need as SNAP benefits remain in limbo.
Nhan Ngo, the owner of Petit Beignets and Tapioca and his wife prepared 500 ham, turkey and cheese sandwiches to give back to their community. What started small has gained a lot of buzz online.
says it’s all about one thing: helping those in need.
“So the idea was every Saturday of this month we would do something. I wanted to start off simple with the sandwiches and then someone donated a bunch of ground beef and I figured pasta is the easiest thing to make and stretch out for a lot of people and so this Saturday we’ll be doing spaghetti dinner with salad and bread and whatever we have donated, we’ll give out,” Ngo said.
Ngo opened Petit Beignets and Tapioca in 2024. He posted his idea on Facebook, and to his surprise, it took off and inspired others to get involved. People started dropping off donations.
“I haven’t really asked for those kinds of donations, but there have been people to drop some of that off. And when a family does come up, whatever they can take, I give it out to them. And at first, it started off just SNAP benefits. But I figured if you’re going to come up here and ask for food, I’m not going to turn you away,” Ngo said.
Ngo knows what many are dealing with right now. His family once depended on food assistance too.
“I mean my mom she was on SNAP benefits when she was first here and it helped her build a life here in America. She’s from Vietnam and so I understand, I get it. Also, because it’s during the holiday season, it’s one of the last things any family should worry about is where they’re gonna get their next meal from,” he said.
The best part for Ngo is the hugs — knowing that while it’s a small gesture, it’s appreciated.
“There was a gentleman that came up, he had kids, he’s going through a tough time and you know, after we gave him the food, he gave me a hug that was like really surprising, like a real like firm hug,” Ngo said.
Ngo says this Saturday, he will provide spaghetti starting at 11 a.m. for anyone in need who wants to come by. He also plans to start making plans to help folks on Thanksgiving.