Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The shutdown of the federal government continues into its fourth week, and its ripple effects have been felt deeply across the nation. This is especially the case when it comes to programs helping to keep people fed and supplied with nutritious food.
Locally, FeedMore WNY serves around 165,000 individuals every year, and that number has been increasing. Collin Bishop, Chief Communications Officer at FeedMore, says the impacts of the government shutdown will likely send more people to local pantries and other partner agencies looking for nutritional assistance.
"We have federal employees who aren't being paid. When they're not being paid, they still have bills that are due, they still have to purchase food. They may be in a position where they need nutritional assistance," said Bishop in an interview with WBEN.
If the government shutdown continues into November, the Trump administration recently posted a notice that no federal food aid, which includes SNAP recipients, would be getting their November payments. Bishop says that's going to create even more of an additional need for those who receives SNAP benefits.
"Our charitable food network - the partner agencies that FeedMore works with as the food bank for Western New York - those are the places that will see that uptick, in terms of number of people coming to them looking for additional nutrition. And FeedMore, the food bank, is responsible for making sure we continue to supply them," Bishop said. "So the community donating food to neighborhood pantries, donating food or funds to FeedMore, all of that is likely to be more necessary in the month of November than what it has been at any time in recent memory."
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November is one of the more important times of the year for organizations like FeedMore WNY, as many will be relying on food banks and pantries for assistance, especially with Thanksgiving on the horizon. Bishop has referred to the shutdown and the upcoming holiday season as "The Perfect Storm".
"You've got SNAP recipients possibly not getting any payment for the month of November. You've got additional need in the community with federal employees who aren't getting paid. You've got the holidays, which is always an increased time of need, or we see more people coming to our partner organizations in the month of November. And you've got an already steady increase in the number of people who are looking for nutritional assistance this year. Those things all combined could mean that in the month of November, our network, our partner agencies are seeing the numbers of people increase a lot, beyond what they're used to helping," Bishop explained.
To better accommodate the community during the federal government shutdown, Bishop says FeedMore WNY is working to get out information to those in need to make sure the public is aware of all that's happening.
"That way, if there's somebody or if there's a family, individual who is impacted in some way by the shutdown and need nutritional assistance, they know where to turn," he said. "They can go to FeedMoreWNY.org, use the 'Find Food' link on our website to find a pantry or a partner organization that's in their neighborhood. Those partner agencies are able to help them, help them navigate the system of what's going to happen."
For anyone looking for assistance with nutritional food, Bishop can understand why it may be more scary and nerve-wracking if they have never explored the assistance.
"It doesn't feel comfortable, but the pantries make it real easy for you with a lot of dignity, will help you walk through the process. And it's more than just receiving nutritional assistance, because you're also going to become aware of other benefits, other things and services that are going to help you during this temporary need that you're in," Bishop said.
The awareness of this need is also growing around the broader community, and FeedMore WNY is looking for additional assistance.
"If other members of the community are in a position to help provide nutrition and food to the community who's impacted locally, there are a lot of ways to donate," Bishop noted. "You can donate directly to a pantry in your neighborhood. You can donate to FeedMore WNY, because in our role as the food bank for 400 partner agencies around our service area, we'll make sure that donations that come to our food bank get distributed to any of those pantries in need of assistance during that month. So that's a centralized way that you can donate."
Is there a specific time or date that organizations like FeedMore WNY are looking at where things may get critical for food banks or pantries? While there's nothing down the line right now, Bishop says it's discussions they're having every week with other organizations in New York State.
"Learning from each other, collaborating, working with New York State government to let them know what the need is. They're doing the best that they can to help support us. There are some dollars that New York State has allocated to our work," Bishop noted. "Previously, during the last budget year, we're working with them to try and make sure they get out the door as effectively and efficiently as possible so that we have more purchasing power today as we need it versus somewhere down the road. So there's a lot of things statewide food banks are doing, because we're well aware of what the problem could be in November."
Find out more information on how you can donate or contribute to FeedMore WNY's goals by visiting FeedMoreWNY.org.
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