Food crisis bigger than SNAP delay, say advocates | The Homepage

By Juliet Martinez, managing editor

A food scarcity crisis gained national attention in November when families who normally get help with groceries through public assistance did not receive it because of the government shutdown. But food security advocates in Hazelwood said the real crisis is how many families struggle to get enough food on a regular basis.

“This is not a crisis to us because every day has been a crisis for the people that we serve,” said Pastor Lutual Love of the Greater Hazelwood Coalition Against Racial and Ethnic Disparities during a Nov. 7 call. The group is spearheading the push to open a community-owned grocery store in Hazelwood.

“We have a hunger problem in Hazelwood and people don’t realize it. Whether it’s SNAP recipients or the working poor, people have been in need of food all the time,” he said, referring to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly shortened to SNAP or called food stamps.

Volunteers for the Greater Hazelwood Coalition Against Racial and Economic Disparities distribute around 4,000 pounds of food on Oct. 25. Photo courtesy of Greater Hazelwood Coalition Against Racial and Economic Disparities

The government shutdown meant that SNAP recipients’ electronic benefits cards did not show the funds they expected to be there on Nov. 1. Allegheny County has more than 160,000 people relying on food assistance. They waited two weeks for the shutdown to end on Nov. 12.

During that time, food banks reported record demand.

The Hazelwood Food Pantry happens on the first Saturday of every month at the Spartan Community Center. Hazelwood-based Fishes and Loaves Cooperative Ministries runs the event. In addition to the food pantry, the organization offers Meals on Wheels, grocery shopping help, free hot lunches at its headquarters across at 137 East Elizabeth St. and emergency food boxes. Read more about Fishes and Loaves food programs on Page 4.

The pantry served 137 families on Nov. 1. Normally, they get about 100, according to Operations Manager Tom Berna. He said on a Nov. 14 call that the organization gave away more than 6,000 pounds of food compared to the normal 4,500 pounds.

The higher demand coincided with less food coming in. Mr. Berna said usually in November the Greater Pittsburgh Food Depository gives Fishes and Loaves Cooperative Ministries 100 $25 Aldi gift cards. But this year the organization received less than half that. He put out a call on social media asking for donations to raise the $1,600 needed to buy the remainder. People responded with $2,500 in donations, which allowed the organization to give them out to each family at the Nov. 1 distribution, and to people who request emergency food boxes.

“We’re seeing an increase in the number of requests for emergency food,” he said. “Part of that was because of people’s fear that they wouldn’t get their benefits.”

But, he said, people are also afraid that when they have to re-certify for SNAP benefits, they will get less assistance or none at all. This accounts for the calls still coming in for emergency food, even though SNAP recipients have their benefits now.

The anxiety over recertification for SNAP benefits is widespread for recipients, according to the nonpartisan Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. It comes from changes to the program in the Republican megabill — known as the “Big Beautiful Bill” — signed into law on July 4. The law limits SNAP benefits to three months per three-year period for recipients who can’t show they are exempt. Exemptions include being able to show that the recipient has a disability or is working or participating in another qualifying activity for the required amount of time.

Other recipients who are lawful immigrants to the United States who have received asylum will no longer receive benefits. Benefits will also be cut for households without a disabled or elderly family member if they do not have documentation of their utility costs.

If there is a positive side to the crisis caused by delayed SNAP benefits and the possibility of losing them, it might be that people are donating more shelf-stable food and money to food programs.

“That is certainly helping us to provide,” Mr. Berna said. “We don’t turn anybody down.”

Operating in Hazelwood, where the median income is less than half that of the county means people will keep needing help to get enough to eat and feed their families.

But Mr. Berna has noticed that they also look out for one another. Fishes and Loaves Cooperative Ministries has been working in Hazelwood since 2011, so he has had many opportunities to witness the generosity of the neighborhood’s people.

“Those who have less often have more compassion for others in need. That’s been my experience,” he said. “As a result, they will go above and beyond to share what they have.”