Local nonprofits brace for SNAP benefits lapse during government shutdown

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is calling it an “inflection point” in the government shutdown.

SNAP benefits, also known as “food stamps,” will not be issued starting on November 1.

“By allowing SNAP to lapse, USDA and Congress are opening up the floodgates,” Ann Sanders of Just Harvest said. She and other nonprofit leaders met in Allegheny County, Tuesday.

“People are going to do everything they can to feed their families and I’m not sure we’ll want to see the kinds of things that they will turn to,” Rev. Dr. Brenda Greg said. She’s the Executive Director of Project Destiny.

To put it in perspective, 12% of people use SNAP nationwide. Most of our local counties have more than that. In Fayette County, 23% of residents use it.

“It’s already affecting us. We’ve got a lot of people calling asking for food,” Nancy Reed said. She’s the kitchen manager at the East End United Community Center in Uniontown.

“I put out sweet potatoes, green peppers and canned food. It was gone in half an hour,” she said.

The nonprofit served more than 28,000 meals in 2024, says Executive Director Steve Strange. He added that the group is feeling the impact of both the state and federal government budget issues.

“The approach we’re taking towards this is we happen to reside as a nonprofit in the most politically divided of the 50 states,” he said.

“Harrisburg and Washington, Washington especially, need to get together and stop this. It’s time,” Nancy Reed said.

The community center’s food pantry is the first Wednesday of the month. Strange says they’ll see how that goes and could end up expanding it.

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