Attributed to Kate Leone, Chief Government Relations Officer
Washington - “A significant portion of the federal government has now been closed for 26 days. During that time, our network of member food banks has been preparing for the possibility of an extended shutdown and bracing for a resulting increase in the number of families and individuals who need food assistance.
“We are now seeing the adverse consequences of the shutdown first hand, as 800,000 federal employees and thousands more contractors have missed their first paycheck. Many of these public servants face a new reality of needing help to feed their families. Our network of food banks has stepped up to help and will continue to do so, but we are mindful of the risk a continued shutdown poses to the demand for assistance and to food bank operations in the face of increased need and an absence of federal funding.
“The number of already food insecure Americans who will lose their monthly food assistance if the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) runs out of funds is nearly 50 times larger than the entire number of federal employees who have been furloughed or are working without pay. And the loss of food assistance would be unprecedented – at least one billion meals would likely be lost in March from the plates of children, veterans, and seniors. Food banks and other charitable organizations cannot fill the gap if the 38 million people who depend on SNAP lose their benefits because the government is not reopened before February allotments end.
“This shutdown must end immediately - before irreversible harm is done to millions of our most vulnerable neighbors.”
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About Feeding America
Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment. We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger. Visit FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.