Food Bank Urges Action to Protect November SNAP Benefits, Prevent Hardship

CHICOPEE — As the federal government shutdown continues with no end in sight, millions of Americans are days away from losing access to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Without immediate federal action, November benefits will not be issued until the government reopens, leaving millions without funds to buy food.

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts noted that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers SNAP, has an existing contingency fund that can be used to issue next month’s benefits. “Yet the Trump administration has chosen not to release these funds. If that decision stands, SNAP benefits will not be distributed at the beginning of November.”

Food Bank Executive Director Andrew Morehouse noted that “this will be a devastating blow, not only to families who rely on SNAP, but to the grocers, farmers, and local economies that depend on this federal investment in local communities across the country. SNAP brings $35 million every month into Western Massachusetts. Losing this economic stimulus for even one month will ripple across every community. The USDA must release contingency funds immediately to ensure people can put food on their tables and local economies can grow.”

In Western Mass. alone, more than 191,000 people depend on SNAP to put food on the table. If benefits are halted, thousands will turn to the region’s food assistance network, including the Food Bank’s 199 member pantries, meal programs, and shelters, as well as its own 75 Mobile Food Bank and Brown Bag: Food for Elders sites.

Without SNAP benefits, the scale of demand for food assistance will be impossible to supply, Morehouse noted. “For every one meal we provide, SNAP provides nine. Food banks cannot replace SNAP.”

The Food Bank is activating its emergency response plan to increase food supply, ramp up direct distributions, and expand deliveries to member food pantries in the region. The Food Bank is also collaborating with other Massachusetts food banks and anti-hunger coalitions to urge Gov. Maura Healey and the state Legislature to allocate emergency funding through the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program and to consider using other state resources to cover November SNAP benefits if the federal government does not act.

“Massachusetts has a proud history of leading in moments of federal failure,” Morehouse said. “We call on our state leaders to step up once again to ensure that no child, elder, or working family goes hungry because Washington refused to do its job.”

The Food Bank encourages the public to help in several ways:

• Call your federal congressmen and senators, and thank them for pressuring the USDA to release SNAP contingency funds immediately;

• Donate to the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts or a local food pantry or meal site. Every contribution helps the Food Bank and its partners respond to this crisis. Donations to the Food Bank can be made online at foodbankwma.org or by mail;

• Join the 16th annual March for the Food Bank as a marcher or sponsor, with the largest fundraising goal in the event’s history of $650,000;

• Support local grocers and farmers, as buying locally strengthens the local economy; or

• Let people know where to find food assistance at foodbankwma.org, and follow the Food Bank on social media for updates.