\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe work demand is rising for volunteers at the Westmoreland Food Bank and at food banks across the commonwealth. It\u2019s now about not just providing food to the nonprofits, but also getting people to help distribute the food.That importance is growing with SNAP benefits set to pause this weekend. On Friday afternoon, two federal judges ruled that SNAP must continue to be funded during the government shutdown.\u201cThis is more than what people can do on their own,\u201d Westmoreland Food Bank CEO Jennifer Miller said Friday. \u201cOur phones have not stopped. I’m constantly encouraging the staff to take a break. We have donors calling us and asking what we\u2019re going to do.\u201dThe Westmoreland Food Bank has been doing what it can to keep up with the increased demand. In the last week, the food bank has received claims to serve more than half of the normal households it helps every month. For perspective, WFB normally serves close to 15,000 households. More than 46,000 people are signed up for food stamps in the county. \u201cA lot of people that we\u2019re talking to now have never been to a food pantry before because SNAP was enough,\u201d Miller said. \u201cThis is only five, seven, 10 days\u2019 supply of food. This isn\u2019t enough to provide them for an entire month.\u201d If emergency SNAP funds are released soon, Miller believes that still won\u2019t be enough to feed all 46,000 people.\u201cA lot of people, just because they receive food pantry doesn\u2019t mean they don\u2019t get SNAP,\u201d she said. That\u2019s why the food bank brought representatives from Mission Union, the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Westmoreland Community Action together on Friday to relay the same message. \u201cThere is just not enough out there to fill the gap,\u201d WCA CEO Mandy Zalich said. \u201cThe numbers are just insurmountable.\u201d Those organizations have worked with many people who want to give back. \u201cIt\u2019s businesses, individuals, churches and schools,\u201d Zalich said. \u201cSo many people are doing some kind of collection. I\u2019ve seen it on Facebook. Before I left the office today, a staff member saw somebody drop off boxes of food.\u201d Despite more effort from the community, it\u2019s still not enough to make up for what\u2019s lost from the government shutdown and state budget impasse. \u201cNo matter what we do, it\u2019s just not enough to fill the need,\u201d Zalich said. \u201cIt\u2019s been heartwarming to see the schools, businesses, and individuals stepping up to help. They may not have been aware of some of the challenges a few months ago, but they\u2019re well aware now.\u201d\u201cWe have reached out to our legislators,\u201d Miller said. \u201cThey\u2019ve all been very supportive. They\u2019ve always been. We just need this to come together now.\u201d If you\u2019d like to volunteer or donate to the Westmoreland Food Bank, click here.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tDELMONT, Pa. \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The work demand is rising for volunteers at the Westmoreland Food Bank and at food banks across the commonwealth. It\u2019s now about not just providing food to the nonprofits, but also getting people to help distribute the food.<\/p>\n