SNAP pause, soaring grocery prices hit local food pantries

The politics of hunger has been playing out since Nov. 1, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would not be issued starting Nov. 1, writing that “the well has run dry.”

A week later, many of the nearly 42 million Americans who receive SNAP benefits each month still were not certain where their next meal will come from. (Of those who received benefits in 2023, 39 percent were children, 20 percent were elderly and 10 percent were non-elderly people with disabilities.)

The pause stemmed from Congress’ failure to pass a funding bill. Democrats were pushing to extend health care subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, while Republicans insisted the government reopen before negotiations continue.

Forty-one days into the shutdown, the Senate passed a bill on Nov. 10 to re-open the government. As of press time, the agreement was tentative.

Meanwhile, food pantries across New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are stepping up to feed families left in limbo.

As one of those providers said: “Hunger isn’t anything that you play with to try and achieve political ends. We just want to help people that are hungry.”

New York: ‘It’s scary right now’

At the Goshen Ecumenical Food Pantry, the shutdown’s uncertainty had volunteers on edge.

“It’s scary right now to be honest,” CEO and Treasurer John Strobl said. “You just don’t know what’s going to happen.”

The pantry’s volunteers typically shop at the Regional Food Bank in Montgomery once a month, but with recent shortages, they’ve had to make more frequent trips. Items like cereal, spaghetti sauce and canned goods have been hard to come by. Strobl said the shortages reflect wider stress on the food bank system rather than a lack of local effort.

Community support remains essential. Local farmers donate eggs and school food drives collect staples like cereal. Still, the need keeps growing. Nearly 3 million New Yorkers rely on SNAP benefits, according to the state’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.

In recent months, the pantry has served 350 to 400 people.

“Some of these people have two or three jobs,” he said. “They don’t make a lot of money, but people think they’re just lazy and won’t do anything. When you read that, it makes you want to bang your head, because why don’t you come in, hand out food and talk to some of these people? They’re not bad people.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency on Oct. 30 and released more than $100 million in state funds to provide an estimated 40 million meals. Strobl said the pantry has received some of that aid, though the total amount remains unclear.

New Jersey: ‘We’ve got this covered’

In New Jersey, Valerie Macchio, executive director of the Sparta Community Food Pantry, said her organization is preparing for tough weeks ahead.

Macchio said the pantry serves more than 4,000 people each month, which includes people who are displaced in hotels and those who are homebound.

And demand is climbing. “We had 50 new clients just last week,” she said, even before SNAP payments were paused.

The pantry remains stocked for now, but the uncertainty made it hard to plan. “If we knew this was going to resolve itself in three weeks or a month, then I think the clients and the pantries would be happier,” she said.

More than 800,000 New Jersey residents depend on SNAP. In response to the pause, Gov. Phil Murphy issued a State of Emergency on Oct. 31, expediting $42.5 million in grants to food banks, including Norwescap, which is where Macchio’s pantry buys food at reduced prices.

Despite the chaos, Macchio wants her clients to know they can count on the pantry.

“You can come in here and you will get food, that’s a promise,” she said. “We’re not going anywhere, so don’t panic. We’ve got this covered.”

Pennsylvania: ‘We weren’t prepared for it’

At the Ecumenical Food Pantry of Pike County, Treasurer Jim Snodgrass said demand has surged. The pantry typically serves 84 families a week on average. On Friday, Nov. 7, the pantry served 147 families.

“That’s a huge jump and we weren’t prepared for it,” Snodgrass said. “We actually ran out of milk, eggs, soup and fresh fruits and vegetables before we were done serving.”

The pantry relies partly on the federal Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), but cuts have reduced deliveries by about half. Last year, the pantry spent $80,000 on food; Snodgrass expects to spend $100,000 this year.

Gov. Josh Shapiro declared a disaster in Pennsylvania on Oct. 31 and directed $5 million to food banks to help the state’s two million SNAP recipients, including nearly 7,000 people in Pike County.

“Twenty-five percent of the people we serve are seniors,” Snodgrass said. “They’re living on fixed incomes. Many of the adults we serve are employed but not making enough to cover housing, transportation, insurance and utilities.”

Volunteer Pat Moulton, who handles the pantry’s email, said she’s hearing from more families in distress — including a recent message from a family of eight with six children ages 2 to 13.

Snodgrass said the political gridlock behind the shutdown was especially frustrating.

“Hunger isn’t anything that you play with to try and achieve political ends,” he said. “We’re not a political group. We just want to help people that are hungry.”