LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — As the federal government shutdown lingers, the possibility of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits being depleted is becoming more real. The White House says if the shutdown goes on for an extended period, that could very well be the case.
Food banks across Arkansas are preparing for the worst and ensuring they have enough to support furloughed workers and families who rely on assistance.
Debra Strickland Allen, founder and executive director of the First Ward Living Grace Food Pantry in Pine Bluff, says she sees the effects of food insecurity every day.
“I need everybody to know my hometown is suffering,” Allen says. “It just, it just hurts my soul.”
Allen’s pantry is one of more than 400 partners serviced through the Arkansas Foodbank. With SNAP funding on the line, leaders say lines at food pantries could grow longer than ever.
“What we’ve been told is through the month of October, we’re going to be okay, but if we go long 30 days into November, we’re going to start to see some real impacts,” Claire Tiffin, director of community engagement at the Arkansas Foodbank, says.
Tiffin says donations have increased since the shutdown began, but if it stretches further, the food bank could be supporting furloughed workers for some time.
“What we’ve been seeing is, the longer this lasts, the worse the impact is going to be, right?” Tiffin says.
Allen says she has spoken with multiple furloughed workers in her community who are struggling not only with food but also basic personal items.
“I’m saying, Lord, I can’t do it all by myself, but I’m going to try to do what we going to try to do what we can,” Allen says. “It is really affecting them about personal items they need, and they not able to purchase because they not getting a check.”
Allen is planning a pop-up giveaway next week to help families get by and says she will move forward with her pantry’s annual Thanksgiving and Christmas giveaways, which provide holiday meals and gifts for children. For more details, go to this website.
To find a food pantry near you, click here.
