Long lines have formed at food pantries across the U.S. as federal food benefits were cut off due to the government shutdown.

People across the country formed long lines for free meals and groceries at food pantries and drive-through giveaways Saturday, after monthly benefits through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, were suddenly cut off because of the ongoing government shutdown.

The delay in SNAP payments, a major piece of the nation’s social safety net that serves about 42 million people, has highlighted the financial vulnerabilities that many face. At the Bronx food pantry, the Rev. John Udo-Okon said “people from all walks of life” are seeking help now.

“The pantry is no longer for the poor, for the elderly, for the needy. The pantry now is for the whole community, everybody,” Udo-Okon said. “You see people will drive in their car and come and park and wait to see if they can get food.”

  • pinheadednightmare@lemmy.world
    591·
    1 day ago

    Thank king trump for not releasing the emergency funds that are there for this exact reason. Thank you for starving your people trump!

    • Verdant Banana@lemmy.worldEnglish
      723·
      1 day ago

      and thank you democrats too for never upgrading the minimum wage to a living wage that would continue to adjust as needed and thank them for not getting us universal healthcare and thank the democrats for never ensuring education was properly funded!

      definitely can’t forget to give thanks and to be thankful this month to our betters that serve the owner class the republicans and democrats

      O let us love our occupations, Bless the squire and his relations, Live upon our daily rations, And always know our proper stations,

      • pinheadednightmare@lemmy.world
        13·
        1 day ago

        Way to stay on topic, but yes… you’re on the right track, now look at it as……”thank you government for failing us”. We should stop fighting each other and fight who is responsible for all of this mess.

      • idiomaddict@lemmy.world
        101·
        1 day ago

        And thank the libertarians for Gary Johnson not knowing that Aleppo is a city in Syria and the greens for their disinterest in widespread local offices and lack of transparency, and the PSL for not running a more aggressive campaign or starting earlier, and the whigs for disbanding and leading to the Republican Party, right? If it’s “both sides,” it’s got to be all sides, unless you’re just only mad about democrats and trying to make it look like both sides.