As the government shutdown continues, some residents fear they’ll lose their federal benefits, such as SNAP.
DALLAS — For Rosie Taylor, almost everything depends on one basket.
On Wednesday, she pushed her basket through Aunt Bette’s Community Pantry in South Dallas.
“Aunt Bettye’s is where my end makes my other end meet,” said Taylor, a SNAP benefits recipient.
Each month, Taylor visits the pantry to pick up what her benefits don’t cover. But she never thought her next meal would depend on politics.
“I don’t want to cry because the government is shutting down. It hurts. It hurts bad,” said Taylor.
This is the second-longest government shutdown in the nation’s history, surpassing the 1995-1996 shutdown under President Bill Clinton. As of Wednesday, Oct. 22, the government has been shut down for 22 days. The fear is that programs such as SNAP, which feed millions of lower-income families, will run out by next month.
“They’ve let me down completely,” said Taylor. “We don’t know what to do. All we know is we’re trying to eat.”
It’s a need that’s also great in Oak Cliff. On Wednesday, Feed the Children partnered with South Oak Cliff (SOC) High School and Popeyes to feed the community. They had a line backed for miles.
“In Dallas alone, more than 20% of the population here does not know where their next meal is coming from. That’s unacceptable. Hunger is a problem that we can solve,” said Emily Callahan, Feed the Children President and CEO.
Wednesday’s line was backed for miles, and SOC Principal Dr. Willie Johnson Jr. said that within an hour, they ran out of food. They fed more than 400 families.
“We already know this is one of the most impoverished areas, just by data. So, what do we do about it?” said Dr. Johnson. “We know our kids cannot be successful if their basic needs are not met.”
The ask for many to the government is clear.
“Please. Please. Help us. We don’t need this,” said Taylor.