ORLANDO, Fla. – As Thanksgiving approaches, thousands of Central Florida families are bracing for the holiday with empty cupboards and little hope for relief, as the federal government’s shutdown of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits stretches into a second week, leaving many anxious and local food pantries overwhelmed.
“It’s panic and fear—those are the words we’re hearing most,” said Kimberly Landsverk, an intake specialist at Charity and Love Inc. in Orlando who not only coordinates donations but also relies on SNAP benefits herself. “I know what it is to struggle on that side, and it truly breaks my heart to think of children or fathers feeling they can’t provide for their families, especially over the holidays.”
The stoppage of SNAP payments hit just as families were preparing for the most food-centric holiday of the year. Landsverk and other pantry volunteers reported an outpouring of emotion from parents, many sharing gut-wrenching details of skipping meals so their children could eat.
“If the shutdown ended today, families would still wait days for benefits to be restored,” said Greg Higgerson, chief development officer at Second Harvest Food Bank. “And even then, we know it’ll be a while before people bounce back—there’s a long economic tail on a crisis like this.”
For pantry leaders like Novella Settles, the challenge is both operational and deeply personal.
“As a mother myself, I can only imagine what it feels like to look into your cupboard and realize there’s nothing to give your children,” Settles said. “Telling a child there’s nothing for dinner—there’s nothing that hurts more.”
Landsverk cautioned that a government vote would not magically solve the mounting problems. “It’s a domino effect,” she said. “If I’ve had to spend what little I had on bills just to keep the lights on or the rent paid, I’m still behind on everything else. We’re going to be playing catch-up for a while—it’s going to take a miracle.”
As food pantries work to meet increased demand, agencies urge anyone in need to seek help immediately.
“We’re updating our list of open food banks the moment we get new information,” Landsverk said.
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