Extra cash could help The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri keep shelves stocked as prices rise, federal programs go dry
Alison Patton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Boone County commissioners are set to help keep the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri afloat as low-income locals worry the shutdown will mean no federal food assistance.
The commission is amending its contract to provide the food bank with American Rescue Act Funds to pour in an additional $50,000 to support operations and keep shelves stocked.
Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick said the additional funding is intended to supplement food banks as food insecurity rises because of SNAP and WIC benefits being delayed while the government remains shut down.
“If the shutdown continues into November, then [those benefits] appear to be basically running out at the end of this month, so we know that it’s going to create a lot of food insecurity,” Kendrick said.
Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri spokesperson Katie Adkins said Boone County is already seeing a high demand on top of people losing SNAP benefits and federal workers not getting paid.
“We serve a lot of people who are using SNAP dollars, and we serve a lot of people who are not using the SNAP program,” Adkins said. “The Food Bank is generally the safety net to the safety net program.”
Adkins said the Food Bank Market serves about 11,000 to 12,000 people a month.
Adkins also said that because the Food Bank buys in bulk, it can purchase three meals for every dollar spent.
During the last government shutdown, which lasted 35 days in 2018, Adkins said SNAP had extra funding, but that hasn’t happened this time.
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City) and other representatives wrote a letter to the Department of Agriculture urging the agency to use contingency reserve dollars to temporarily fund SNAP.
“Choosing not to ensure SNAP benefits reach those in need this November would be a gross dereliction of your responsibilities to the American people,” Cleaver and other lawmakers wrote in the letter.
The letter states there’s enough in the contingency reserve to give Americans nearly two-thirds of the full SNAP benefits for November.
The ABC 17 News team spoke with U.S. Rep. Mark Alford on Friday who said the Democrats plan sounds solid, but earlier in the interview he said he wants the government to reopen.
“We need some Democrats to wake up, to put their pride aside, to put their fear aside and join us in opening the government,” Alford said.
Governor Mike Kehoe also joined the national talk on SNAP benefits and the government shutdown when he posted Thursday to X, urging Missourians to donate to local food banks.
“Missouri is all about neighbors helping neighbors. Across our state, food banks and pantries have been hard at work preparing for an increase in need as the Democrat-led federal government shutdown continues,” Kehoe wrote.
It’s uncertain right now how a prolonged shutdown will affect WIC benefits.
A Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services spokesperson said they are closely monitoring funds with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and will know more next week.
In the meantime, Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services continues to schedule and see families in the clinic as it awaits a clear answer on November benefits.