The Chautauqua County Rural Ministry building in Dunkirk.

With Supplementary Nutrition Assistance benefits not being distributed at the beginning of November due to the government shutdown, local food pantries are expecting to experience an influx of people in need of their services. At the moment, many pantries are already struggling to cover vulnerable populations with the resources available, making it more important than ever to support local food assistance organizations.

The St. Susan Center is one of the organizations that has already begun feeling the effects of the uncertainty surrounding nutrition benefits. Executive Director Cherie Rowland stated the organization has drawn up estimates that predict an additional 30 to 50 people will rely on the organization for meals each day. This will be on top of the already 178 people who the organization serves daily, Rowland said, noting the organization will typically begin to see an increase in those needing assistance toward the end of each month when benefits begin to dwindle, which has been the base for these predictions of additional people that will need served.

“We have always made sure that we’re preparing more than what we need. For instance, during the summer we took all of the food that was being donated to us by the local farmers market and we froze it” said Rowland. “We estimate that we have about a 90 day supply of the frozen (food), and then another 90 days of the shelf stable (food).”

While Rowland noted the incredible amount of community support that the organization has received, she urged people to continue to volunteer or donate if possible. Donations of canned goods allow the organization to continue to be able to serve asset limited individuals in the community. Rowland also mentioned that this increase would have been impossible to attempt to sustain if it had not been for a certain FeedMore partnership. This partnership works with retail chains to help the organization recover food that cannot be sold. Rowland hopes to see continuous community support to food pantries in need during this time when food assistance has become so vulnerable.

Recently, Chautauqua County Rural Ministries in Dunkirk has expressed a great deal of worry over the ability to continue to serve the community due to this influx of people in need of their services as well. The organization recently issued a statement to Facebook urging members of the community to contribute to the agency.

Rural Ministry staff noted that the pantry has also already begun to see an increase in the number of clients. This increase has caused the organization to run dangerously low on resources, leading to uncertainty as to how long the organization will be able to sustainably continue operations. Donations can be given in monetary form, or by giving food items directly to the organization, between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Nutrition Outreach and Education Program SNAP Coordinator Brooke Barone expressed concern over the influx that many food pantries will likely see if benefits are not restored starting Saturday. Barone noted many pantries are already more financially burdened due to funding cuts that went into effect at the beginning of the year.

Additionally, more individuals seem to be struggling, which hurts the overall donations that most organizations will receive, according to Barone. Barone noted that on Wednesday, the Salvation Army Food Pantry in Jamestown saw more than 200 visitors between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. Salvation Army Emergency Basic Needs Supervisor Elizabeth Margarito stated that on Tuesday the food pantry line had grown so long that it had to be shut down over an hour early. Magarito also noted that many guests are new clients, or individuals who have not needed assistance for many years.

This would suggest growing struggles for many in the area, and thus a heavier reliance on food pantries that are already struggling to keep up with demand. Margarito stated that the best way for community members to assist the organization is through product donations. Magarito also noted that monetary donations allow the organization to have a greater purchasing power from FeedMore, and that volunteer work is always appreciated as it helps to serve as many individuals as possible.

Wednesday morning, Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel highlighted the importance of community support for local food pantries, soup kitchens, and charitable partners that provide vital assistance for those in need in a press release.

“Across Chautauqua County, our food pantries and soup kitchens are the backbone of compassion,” he said. “While federal assistance programs like SNAP may be delayed in November, these local organizations continue to step up–feeding families, children, and seniors who are in need. I’m encouraging everyone who can to lend a hand to donate food or volunteer your time to help your neighbors through this difficult period.”

One point of pride that Wendel expressed is that Chautauqua County has always been a place where there is a large amount of community cooperation. Wendel noted that during times of need, individuals have continuously worked hard to assist vulnerable populations in the community. Wendell encouraged residents to continue to support these organizations in any way, as now is a very uncertain time for many.

Any donations or volunteer work will not only prove crucial to the continued operation of these organizations, but also to those in need of assistance within the area.