JENISON, Mich. — When SNAP benefits were temporarily paused last year, Elizabeth Rhodes saw how quickly food disappeared from her church’s parking lot pantry in Jenison.
Rhodes has volunteered with Hand2Hand for about five years, delivering weekend food bags to schools through her church. She said volunteers sometimes had to restock the church pantry more than once a day during the pause.
“It would often get completely emptied, so we had to really make sure we were on top of that,” Rhodes said.
Now the U.S. Department of Agriculture is proposing to end a way some families qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program through certain state programs. If the rule takes effect, some of those families could lose benefits if their income or savings exceed standard federal limits. The USDA estimates about 6.3 million people nationwide could lose benefits once the rule is fully implemented.
Rhodes said her church is raising money and collecting food so it can keep the pantry stocked if more people need help.
Hand2Hand Executive Director Jodi Joseph said families the nonprofit serves are already worried about covering everyday expenses.
“How are we going to fill our cabinets and cupboards, and how are we going to fuel our cars?” Joseph said, describing the concerns she hears from families.
During last year’s SNAP pause, Hand2Hand worked with a local bakery to send students home with an extra loaf of bread. Joseph said families told her the extra food helped, so the nonprofit set aside money to send home an additional bag over the holidays each year.
This December, students will receive a Holiday Booster bag with 10 food items to help them through winter break, in addition to the food they usually take home for the weekend.
Joseph said she hopes the extra groceries ease some of the pressure on families while school is out.
“If we can eliminate one of those stressors,” Joseph said, “there’s a community that really does care for them and sees them.”
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