After weeks of uncertainty, full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November are finally set to be distributed across Colorado, ending the immediate crisis of food security.
This saddening situation stems from the most recent government shutdown, lasting 35 days — the longest in history. This crisis severely impacted local families who rely on consistent federal support for necessities.
Though SNAP benefits are up and running, the temporary loss of federal SNAP programs directly is operating under extreme strain within the state of Colorado. This has created shockwaves across the state, leading to catastrophe for local food banks and pantries as they have been flooded with people needing help.
The Weld County Food Bank and the Carbon Valley Help Center have provided help to numerous people in this dire time. For days, parking lots have been filled with cars wrapped around the block. These organizations are designed to be supplemented by the federal government to help at-risk families.
How Does This Affect Thanksgiving?
One major let down of this government shutdown is the significant overshadowing of the upcoming holiday: Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time for families to gather together over large portions of food to share what they’re thankful for this past year. But, this temporary halt in SNAP benefits threatens the ability of many to provide the celebratory meals that define the great holiday of Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving time is often the busiest time for the food banks, and the wave of need triggered by SNAP benefit removal threatens to exhaust the food banks in almost every way. This time may cause an emergency as some families cannot provide for their families, especially in a celebratory way.
This gives a heightened risk of holiday hunger, as parents will struggle to stretch resources to cover a seven-day week. Though this time may be scary, Frederick High School prepares to step in.
How is FHS Stepping Up to Help?
The immediate crisis triggered by the shutdown did not leave the communes totally stranded. One proactive voice was Frederick High School.
FHS has directly used their student-based initiative, Soar for Support (SFS). This program is run by the school’s student council, which provides a vital local resource for the Frederick community — by collecting donations for various needs, with a primary focus of helping the community near the holiday season.
Student council member, Helena Ahuja, provides a powerful message of the government shutdowns’ effect on our community.“ The government shutdown was absolutely catastrophic for families in Frederick,” Ahuja states. “ 67% of SNAP participants are families with children.”
SFS has been storing food and clothing at Rocky Mountain Christian Church (RMCC), which has also been working hard for the community. Local impact leader at RMCC, Kristina Rogers, states, “We have been collecting food for families in our local schools that might experience food scarcity during Thanksgiving break and Christmas break.”
The local involvement has been helpful for the food banks in our area, like Weld County Food Bank, the Carbon Valley Help Center and Fort Lupton Food & Clothing Bank.
The SFS program provides not just temporary relief, but a continuous lifeline for local residents, families and businesses. Though the government shutdown has ended, the student council is not done helping the Frederick community.
So What’s Next?
The continuing hardship may last a long time, but with help from FHS and RMCC, the good banks can do exactly what they need to do: help people in the midst of hardship. If the community continues to step up like they have now, the less fortunate in this community will hopefully be fully taken care of. Helena provides a strong message to help the people in our community, especially the children. “We were most worried about those children, which is why the food drive [was created], and truly just trying to do something about it, was so, so necessary.”
As Thanksgiving approaches, the community is encouraged to keep those families in their thoughts and continued support for one another. The children and adults of Frederick are what make the community strong, especially in times like these.
