With the federal government shut down until this week, the Food Bank of Delaware says it saw heavy traffic in the past weeks.
The shutdown, which dragged on for more than 40 days, led to a suspension of SNAP benefits and missed paychecks for many federal workers. That led to a significant uptick in people seeking aid.
“Just last week at our Newark pantry, we served 895 households, including 230 households who were visiting for the first time," says the Food Bank’s Kim Turner. "At our Milford pantry, we served 701 households with 145 new visitors.”
That's around double the normal demand, she adds.
“Each location serves between 1,600 and 1,700 families over the course of the month," Turner says. "In just one week, each location served roughly half the number of families we would typically see in an entire month.”
Turner credits the community with stepping up to help with donations of money and food coming to the Food Bank during the shutdown. She also credits Gov. Matt Meyer for taking quick action before SNAP benefits were suspended.
“I think it quelled some of the panic that people felt because they knew that they were going to get some money on their EBT card through the First State Food Fund," she says.
But Turner warns food insecurity continues to rise with the cost of living, and says the Food Bank continues to plan for growing needs in the future.
