BRONX (WABC) — On day 23 of the government shutdown, people in the Tri-State are on the verge of losing the food assistance benefits they depend on.
The demand at local food banks has already surged with tens of thousands of federal government workers in the New York City area going without a paycheck.
“I’m not working right now, so it’s pretty hard to get all the food that we need,” Riverdale resident Juliana Han said.
Many are now finding themselves in crisis mode.
“Well, we heard that next month we might not be getting any benefits. We’re trying to stock up before something happens,” Han said.
The Open Hand Food Association Food Pantry in the Morris Park section of the Bronx feeds more than 8,000 people a month and is bracing for what may come on November 1st if the SNAP program runs out of money due to the government shutdown.
“Well, everyone’s afraid. Everyone’s worried that, you know, they’re not going to be able to feed their families,” a volunteer said.
A letter signed by New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and 45 other U.S. Senators urges federal officials not to suspend SNAP payments.
“It is unacceptable that we have families hurting, especially when the President has discretionary funds where he could put those into making sure that we don’t miss SNAP payments,” Booker said.
The government shutdown is affecting food pantries in other ways. Donations have decreased by almost 50 percent.
“Before I receive between 35 to 50 pallets on a weekly basis. Now we’re receiving around 20 to 22 pallets on a weekly basis. It’s more amount of people and less amount of food,” Founder Open Hand Association Food Pantry Aleksander Nilaj said.
The Han family learned about Open Hands on one of the many food pantry finder apps.
“My friend is a part of at least ten. So she goes around to the different pantries trying to stock up food for her family,” Juliana Han said.
ABC has partnered with Feeding America to help combat food insecurity.
Enter your zip code to find a food bank near you.
For more information visit Feeding America.
To look up the cost of groceries, utilities, housing, gas and more in your area, use the ABC Price Tracker here.
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