Central Florida nonprofits that serve low-income working families the unhoused are seeing a surge in requests for help as the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, has halted payments during the government shutdown.
Payments stopped on Nov. 1 -- leaving many EBT cards with a zero balance -- even though federal judges ruled last week that the Trump administration must use emergency funds to cover at least some of the benefits.
The administration has not said whether it intends to pay a full or partial benefit, according to The Associated Press. The news agency reports that benefits will be delayed in November, regardless of the court cases, because many beneficiaries have their cards recharged early in the month and the process of loading cards can take weeks.
Working-class families struggle
United Against Poverty Orlando, at 150 W. Michigan St., has a grocery that sells food at a steep discount to families within 200% of the poverty level. Using SNAP benefits there, they can buy a shopping cart full of food for about $23.
Now, the nonprofit's executive director, Anjali Vaya said, the shutdown "has created chaos, anxiety."
"The individuals and families are just stressed out because even their benefits from the SNAP are at $0," she said. "And so as they're walking in, they're just, they don't even know what to do, because now they won't even have that $20 to $25."
So United Against Poverty has started giving those families a $25 voucher. It's a budget-busting emergency measure -- that she hopes to cover with donations.
Vaya said she gave one to a woman in her 80s visiting their store for the first time.
"And she was in line with her, you know, with her voucher, with her groceries, and she fainted, and I had to call the paramedics, because that's how stressed out she was about the entire situation," Vaya said. "So for the seniors, as well, you know, this kind of stress can't be healthy for them to not know what tomorrow holds."
Throughout Central Florida more than half a million people receive SNAP benefits, according to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Statewide, it's nearly 3 million people.
Second Harvest, which supplies food pantries, in seven Central Florida counties has an online tool to help people find food.
A need for portable food
Matthew's Hope Ministries serves people experiencing homelessness in Orange and Brevard counties.
“[T]he folks we serve are literally living out of a backpack.”Scott Billue, founder, president and CEO of Matthew’s Hope Ministries
Founder, President and CEO Scott Billue said his organization usually covers 15% of their food needs -- and can't cover 100% for long.
"[T]he folks we serve are literally living out of a backpack," he said. "So we need single serve pop-top type foods that are ready to eat, pre-cooked, if you will."
He's urging people who want to help Matthew’s Hope to find a list of items on their Facebook page "and to also look at what's nearby, wherever they're living, that they might be able to support in some way.
"And I want to make sure people understand, too, that no donation is too small," he said.
