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Iowa food pantries see surge as SNAP benefits remain in limbo

Many local food banks across the country are struggling to keep shelves stocked as the future of SNAP benefits remains uncertain.

Craig Gordy with the Oskaloosa Food Pantry in southeast Iowa says they’ve seen an increase in new users heading into November.

“We’ve given away about almost 5,000 pounds of food in two days,” he said Friday. “Normally, we give about 300 or 400 pounds. People are stocking up because they know the SNAP is not coming.”

The Trump administration recently announced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments would not be circulated on November 1st due to the ongoing government shutdown. A district court ruled on Friday that the administration was acting illegally.

Gordy tells Brownfield their site is limited on how much food they can purchase from the Food Bank of Iowa.

“We’re asking for anybody’s help at this time.”

He says farmers and ranchers have stepped up to help build supplies.

“We do have several farmers in the area that have donated whole hogs,” Gordy said. “They process them and bring it here. We have others that bring in garden goods that they grow extra.”

On Thursday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced interim support for food banks and pantries in response to the cutoff of SNAP benefits.

Reynolds has directed the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to use existing state funds to match all cash donations to Iowa’s six regional food banks up to $1 million dollars beginning Monday, November 3, if SNAP benefits are not federally funded during November due to the government shutdown.

Gordy says the governor’s action comes at a critical time.

“We were happy to see she did that,” he said. “That’s going to help the food banks a great deal purchase more food to send onto the pantries across the state.”

The SNAP program provides food benefits for low-income families and is federally funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. Approximately 131,000 households in Iowa are eligible for SNAP benefits, which cost $45 million per month.

Gordy says pantries like the Oskaloosa site are accepting any non-perishable goods from local residents.

He spoke to Brownfield in Oskaloosa on Friday morning. That full radio interview can be heard below.