EYOTA, Minn. (KTTC) — Food shelves across the country are preparing for an increase in demand after the Trump administration announced SNAP benefits will end Nov. 1 as the government shutdown continues.
Channel One Executive Director Virginia Witherspoon said $4 million from the state and $200,000 donated from the county won’t cover the nearly $75 million a month needed for more than 400,000 Minnesotans who rely on SNAP.
“The gap is just tremendous,” Witherspoon said. “[SNAP is] $1.7 million a month in Olmsted County alone.”
About 9,000 households using food assistance programs in Olmsted County will now likely depend on local food shelves for their groceries.
“The reality is the federal government’s failure to issue SNAP will mean that people will go hungry,” Witherspoon said.
Witherspoon stated the food bank is already stretching its resources after losing government commodities earlier this year.
“We’re missing almost 800,000 pounds in government commodities that were canceled starting in January,” Witherspoon said.
Front and Center Food Pantry in Eyota serves about 2,000 to 4,000 pounds of food weekly to about 100 families. With SNAP benefits no longer being renewed, the pantry held a special meeting to determine how to serve additional families.
“We now are going to be trying to feed those families with the same amount of food and less money,” said Eyota Food Pantry Manager Deb Vosler.
Vosler said the board aims to expand hours to serve more families, but it requires additional volunteers and donations.
“One thing to always remember is that a single dollar in monetary donation, we can buy quite a bit of food with that from Channel One,” Vosler said.
Channel One’s one-time donation from commissioners will provide one food box for every Olmsted County family who would have received SNAP benefits next month.
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