HOLLAND, Mich. — Nonprofit organizations in Holland and Zeeland are preparing for a sharp increase in need as residents face the suspension of SNAP benefits beginning in November.
Local service providers are mobilizing resources to support thousands of community members who will be affected by the pause.
Harvest Stand Ministries, Zeeland’s only permanent food pantry located at 100 Pine St # 100, currently serves over 13,500 people annually, already a two-and-a-half-fold increase since 2021.
Executive Director Jordan Palladino said, “We’re definitely anticipating a pretty significant increase in the amount of clients who are coming through our doors, and this is already after we’re experiencing record numbers here in 2025.”
Palladino noted that Harvest Stand Ministries serves anyone meeting the ALICE guidelines, “a metric of a living wage developed by the United Way, stands for asset limited, income constrained, employed."
He added, “Currently in Ottawa County, Zeeland has the highest ratio of ALICE, and it’s 50%, so 50% of households fall under the ALICE guidelines right here in the city of Zeeland. That’s one in two households eligible to come receive our services.”
Harvest Stand provides a free food pantry, free clothing store, and resource connection assistance for low-income individuals in the greater Zeeland area.
Palladino emphasized that “anyone is welcome to come in who’s in the greater Zeeland area and is able to receive completely free food here,” with appointments available during open hours (Monday 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Wednesday 1–6 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m.–noon).
To alleviate the influx of new clients Harvest Stand expects to serve, they're in search of donations.
"We're definitely working on that, trying to make sure that we talk to our donors and supporters, getting more food donations, making sure we're able to cover the gap," Palladino explained. “Donate, whether that’s donating food, clothing, or even finances, any of those would go a long way in helping us to make ends meet.”
Four miles west, Community Action House (CAH) at 739 Paw Paw Dr. in Holland, is also gearing up for increased demand.
Director of Food Access Programs Chara Boumaprediger said, “We’re anticipating that we could see up to double monthly households of our services with these SNAP cuts. And so, that means we're going to need folks to step in in a number of ways. So we're going to be adding volunteer slots, over 30 volunteers a week extra, on top of what we already have.”
CAH is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In September, the nonprofit served 1,800 households, and anticipates the number could climb by as much as 1,700 additional households in November.
CAH’s Food Club offers membership-based grocery savings to households at 200% or below the federal poverty guidelines, with fresh produce, meat, dairy, and dry goods offered at lower cost.
Members receive points based on their household size, to help stretch food budgets and gain access to a suite of support services through CAH’s Opportunity Hub, including budgeting and credit counseling.
Boumaprediger stressed, “We’re never going to be able to replace what SNAP does for our community and what SNAP provides. We really need to keep advocating that SNAP comes back and continues for everyone in our community.”
To help meet demand, especially on the cusp of the holiday season, Community Action House is collaborating with the Holland Farmers Market for the “Thanks for Giving” food drive, allowing market shoppers to donate healthy dry goods.
"When folks shop at the market up until Thanksgiving in November, they can bring in a healthy dry goods item and be entered to win a gift basket to the market and market bucks," Boumaprediger added.
Donations to CAH are also encouraged, whether monetary or food, with $85 covering monthly food costs for one family.
Both Harvest Stand Ministries and CAH urge neighbors facing a loss of SNAP benefits to reach out.
“We want people to know that they’re not alone. We’re here with them. We want to help them as best we can … and we encourage folks to get a hold of us,” said Boumaprediger.
For more information, visit Harvest Stand Ministries and CAH to learn how to volunteer or donate.
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