Food Banks Face Tough Times as Government Shutdown Hits

Food banks across the country are preparing for a tough time ahead. The government shutdown has put nearly 300, 000 people in West Virginia at risk of missing their November SNAP benefits. This is a big deal because SNAP helps over 41 million Americans put food on the table. The shutdown is not the only problem. Food banks have been struggling for years. More people need help now than ever before. In 2023, over 50 million people got food from food banks. That's a big jump from 40 million in 2019. Rising food prices and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have made things worse. Food banks are doing their best to keep up. They are fundraising, cutting hours, and reducing services. But they can't do it all alone. SNAP provides nine meals for every one meal a food bank gives. Without SNAP, the need will be too great. Some states are trying to help. California and New York are sending money to food banks. Virginia has even declared a state of emergency to fund November benefits. But not all states can do this. Alaska, for example, can't use state money for benefits because of system constraints. The government has a contingency fund for SNAP, but it's not being used. Some people think this fund could help, but the USDA says it's for natural disasters and other emergencies. Without federal action, food banks and the people they serve are in for a hard time.