How to help feed the hungry if the shutdown pauses food aid

By JAMES POLLARD, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Your neighbors might soon need extra assistance putting food on the table.

That’s because on Nov. 1 the U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin freezing food aid payments used by about 1 in 8 Americans for groceries. A cornerstone of the nation’s social safety net, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is said to be out of funds as the government shutdown enters its second month.

Some experts estimate that even a one-month pause would plunge nearly 3 million low-income recipients into poverty. The charitable food system, already strained by the rising cost of living and Trump administration aid cuts, has braced all week for an overwhelming surge from the 42 million people who rely on SNAP.

Philanthropy can’t fill the gap. Food banks, pantries and other nonprofits maintain they are equipped to be the last resort — not the essential service they’ve been impossibly tasked with providing.

But they say you can still ease hardship in your community. Here’s how:

Donate money to your local food bank — and volunteer

You can search for nearby food aid groups by entering your ZIP code on https://www.findhelp.org or Feeding America ‘s website.

Donation preferences will vary but most food banks say that cash is more helpful than canned goods. They know which products are needed most in their area and can stretch every dollar to buy them at cheaper prices. Monetary donations also give flexibility to purchase culturally relevant products and special dietary foods that don’t often show up in their donation streams.

Because they spend so much money buying food, many wholesalers offer them deeper discounts and even donated items. For example, Island Harvest President Randi Shubin Dresner said her food bank spends about $7 million annually on food purchases. They recently bought large enough quantities that the distributor then donated 25,000 pounds of peanut butter.

“We have relationships,” she said. “We leverage those relationships all the time — but especially at times of disaster or high crisis need.”

But some pantries might want donated food. Corie Burke said the situation is so dire in her rural North Carolina community that Glen Alpine Food Pantry just needs more product.

Many also need volunteers to pick up, sort or deliver food. Burke said older generations are “aging out of their ability to do physical labor” and that pantries can’t get enough able-bodied people to lift the 60 pounds she routinely has to carry.

She emphasized that even 9-to-5 employees can find volunteer shifts after work because Second Harvest Food Bank affiliates like hers offer a range of pickup hours.

Give these products if you do drop off food

Hunger relief groups emphasize that their clientele shouldn’t be treated as desperate enough to just accept whatever food comes their way.

“Think about when you’re sitting with your family at a meal,” Dresner said. “It’s not just that you’re eating. You want to feel good about what you’re eating.”

Needs will vary from community to community. But here’s a list of some recommended food donations that provide nutrition, flavor and dignity:

• 1. Canned protein such as beans, meat or fish
• 2. Chunky, low-sodium soup

Dresner added that many food banks accept just about any nonfood item you can find at the store. She suggested donating personal care products because many families may stop buying them when the loss of cash assistance forces them to make difficult decisions about what they can and cannot put in the grocery cart.

It’s also worth thinking about cultural food preferences and dietary restrictions. Those who follow Muslim or Jewish religious traditions might look for halal or kosher products. Food banks also need alternatives for vegetarian and gluten free recipients.

Food banks tend to already get fresh produce from retail partners and special USDA support. But this fall could look different after the Trump administration cut a nutrition program that buys commodities from U.S. farmers for emergency food providers.

Join a mutual aid group or stock a community fridge

Mutual aid refers to reciprocal support networks of neighbors who promptly meet each other’s most pressing needs when existing systems fail to make them whole. They emphasize “solidarity” with each other as opposed to “charity” for another beneficiary.

The groups have grown in popularity since the coronavirus pandemic exposed gaps in the social safety net. You can search for ones near you at https://www.mutualaidhub.org/ or find their pages on social media sites such as Instagram.