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.”

  • Verdant Banana@lemmy.worldEnglish
    43·
    1 day ago

    food pantries are not just inadequate not even food banks just places that hordes old out of date food that no one else wanted or food given for a tax right off and people usually some HOA person that wants to feel good or a person that wants to show how much like jesus they supposedly are do community service at

    did not meet the needs of the citizens before and will not now and were never properly funded and proper food bank infrastructure was never setup

    these are just places handing out some old crap food that will not at the end of the day get anyone by