After officials in the Trump Administration concluded last week they cannot legally use a $5 billion contingency fund for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) amid the ongoing government shutdown, the local non-profit TABLE said it will continue its work of fighting food insecurity in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities. Wednesday, October 29 marked the 29th day of the current shutdown.
“TABLE’s priority is making sure local children have consistent access to healthy food, no matter what’s happening at the federal level,” the non-profit said in a statement to Chapelboro. “While the government shutdown and SNAP benefit cuts may cause additional challenges and hardship for many families and their children, TABLE’s operations will not be affected. We will continue to serve the 1,125 children currently in our program each and every week. We know this uncertainty adds stress for families already struggling with rising food costs, and we want them to know TABLE remains a stable, reliable source of support.”
On Tuesday, North Carolina attorney general Jeff Jackson announced he would be joining a bipartisan coalition of state officials nationwide in suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to keep SNAP partially funded through November. The Assembly estimates nearly 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits.
“The needs keep growing,” TABLE said. “As of today, we have 300 kids on our waitlist, and that number changes all the time.As families move or no longer need support, we bring new children into the program. We add kids only when we have the resources — funding, food, volunteers, and staff — to make sure we can sustain that growth. With continued community support, we can keep growing responsibly and make sure every child we serve gets the healthy food they deserve.”
PORCH, another local non-profit, called the lapsing of SNAP benefits, together with decreased funding for food banks, a “crisis.”
“I’m afraid this will be a much worsening situation for our community in coming months,” PORCH executive director Erin Riley said. “I don’t use the word crisis casually or lightly.”
In the meantime, Riley said PORCH has made “significant structural changes” in order to deal with increased need in the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities. The organization estimates it provides 1,500 pounds of food each month to partner food pantries, with a goal of increasing that total to at least 2,000 pounds in November. Riley said PORCH hopes to raise $10,000 in November to provide 760 families enrolled in its “Food for Families” program with several items, including a dozen eggs, pasta and pasta sauce, and oats.
“It is easy to feel overwhelmed, like we won’t be able to weather the oncoming storm,” Riley said. “But if we come together as a community and channel our collective care and generosity, we can make a real, tangible impact in the lives of our neighbors.”
Featured image via Associated Press/Mary Altaffer
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