—Government shutdown has left vulnerable families scrambling as safety net organizations warn they cannot meet demand alone—
Sixty thousand residents across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties depend on SNAP benefits to put food on their tables. With SNAP funding and eligibility remaining unclear following the recent government shutdown, local nonprofit leaders are sounding an urgent alarm: they cannot fill this gap alone.
- In a joint statement released today, leaders from 15 local health and human service organizations, including United Way of West Florida, Manna Food Bank, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, warned that the strain on both families and the nonprofit sector has reached a critical point. Read SNAP op-ed.
“Non-profits fill the gaps when other services are unavailable or unaffordable,” the statement reads. “However, these organizations do not have the financial resources to provide the full range of assistance necessary to meet all a household’s needs.”
Background: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program supports more than those who are unemployed. In Florida, 37% of SNAP recipients are in working families—the ALICE families (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) who work full-time yet live paycheck to paycheck. To qualify, households must earn less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, which is $64,300 for a family of four.
In Florida, the average SNAP benefit amounts to just $186 per household member per month, or $6.12 per day. While modest, these benefits make a critical difference for families struggling to afford nutritious food.
The impact of SNAP extends beyond individual households. Every dollar in SNAP benefits generates $1.50 in economic output, according to the statement. Recipients spend their benefits quickly at local grocery stores, creating a ripple effect that supports jobs, wages, and local suppliers—directly stimulating the regional economy.
A Call for Collective Action
The nonprofit leaders state: “Communities thrive when local, state and federal governments, businesses, foundations, and non-profits work together,” the statement emphasizes. “The absence of one or more of these creates a gap that jeopardizes the health and well-being of hardworking citizens.”
The organizations are calling on community members to support their favorite nonprofits through financial gifts, volunteer time, and advocacy for policies that support struggling families.
As SNAP’s future remains uncertain, tens of thousands of local families are caught in the crossfire, and the organizations designed to help them are reaching their limits.