By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
With no plan in sight to extend SNAP benefits into November, the Olean Food Pantry and other area food pantries are girding for increased numbers of families seeking food aid.
The federal government shutdown is in its fifth week and local families receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have been told not to expect their November allotment on Saturday.
The Department of Agriculture was told by the Trump Administration not to use nearly $5 billion in available contingency funds for SNAP payments, which would get families a reduced amount of food aid next month.
House and Senate Democrats have refused to vote to end the shutdown until Republicans leaders and President Trump agree to renew subsidies for health care premiums for more than 20 million people under the Affordable Care Act and repeal $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid to fund tax cuts for the very rich.
The president has refused to negotiate until after Senate Democrats vote to end the shutdown.
The Olean Food Pantry has been gearing up for additional families seeking food help in the coming weeks.
“People are nervous about their SNAP benefits,” said Jerry Hustak, Olean Food Pantry operations manager. “We have been seeing some new people recently.” The food pantry will be looking for a trend of higher use over the next week.”
Hustak said the number of families seeking help at the food pantry has been on the increase lately.
He asked people who can afford to help the food pantry to do so — especially with the holidays coming up and so many families in need.
Olean High School, Portville and the Town of Allegany have asked how they can help with food drives.
Hustak said the Olean Food Pantry encourages food drives, but they can get ‘a bigger bang for the buck” by going out and buying things from local stores who often sell at wholesale prices or below. The food pantry encourages monetary donations on its website.
“We can buy things cheaper,” Hustak said. “We would rather have cash donations so we can get what we need.”
The easiest way for most people to donate to the Olean Food Pantry is through their website oleanfoodpantry.org. People may also send a check to Olean Food pantry, 8 Leo Moss Drive, Olean NY 14760 or bring a cash donation to the food bank.
There is a list of foods that the food pantry is short of on the website. Canned fruits and vegetables and tomato products are always in demand, Hustak said.
Participating families must register at the Olean Food Pantry and may come in twice a month — on Mondays or Fridays.
Also, on the last Thursday of the month they hold a mobile food pantry when people can drive in and have someone load a bag of food into their vehicle. The mobile food pantry has been suspended for November and December. Patrick Power, one of the food pantry volunteers, was helping load vehicles on Thursday.
Also on Thursday, four students from the RISE Academy and their teacher helped pack bags.
There are some items that are not always available from WNY Feed More, where most of the Olean Food Pantry’s food donations came from. The food pantry has an annual allotment.
Hustak said the pantry has partnered with the nearby Bethany Lutheran Church to offer a “Pet Pantry,” to help families feed their pets.
To contact the food pantry call (716) 372-4989.
Allegany Supervisor Chris McPhearson issued a press release Wednesday regarding the delay in November SNAP benefits. “We know how important these benefits are to many families, and we want to make sure everyone has access to local food resources during this time,” he wrote.
“If you or someone you know needs a little extra help, there are several food pantries and community organizations nearby that can assist,” he said. Below is a list of organizations in the Allegany/Olean area:
- The Bridge-St. Bonaventure, 93 E. Main St., Allegany.
- Creekside Chapel, 2523 Five Mile Road, Allegany.
- Olean Food Pantry, 8 Leo Moss Drive, Olean.
- Salvation Army, 328 W. Delaware Ave., Olean.
- Harvest Field Ministries Outreach, 406 W. Henley St., Olean.
- Warming House, 164 N. Union St., Olean.
- St. Vincent DePaul, 441 N. Union St., Olean.
In Cattaraugus County, 5,339, or 16.8% of the county’s 31,822 households receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. That includes 2,102 households with kids, or about 6.6 percent of homes.
Allegany County has 2,575 households receiving SNAP benefits out of 17,077 homes. There are 811 households, or 4.8% of homes with children receiving SNAP.
Average New York SNAP benefits are about $190 per month for individuals and $356 per household.
There are 2.9 million New Yorkers receiving SNAP benefits. New York Atty. Gen. Letitia Jamesw has joined more than 20 other states in suing the federal government over cutting off SNAP benefits.
Last week, Rep. Angie Craig, a Minnesota Democrat and the ranking member of the Agriculture Committee, called on the president to fund November food stamps.
“People across the country are struggling to make ends meet as the cost of groceries skyrockets,” Craig wrote to the president. “Secretary Rollins and Director Vought’s answer is to illegally freeze all funding for SNAP.
“Congress already provided billions of dollars to fund SNAP in November. It is the Trump administration that is taking food assistance away from 42 million Americans next month – including hungry seniors, veterans, and families with children.”
There are 90,391 people in 51,563 households in the 23rd Congressional District receiving SNAP benefits, with 31% of the recipients are children, 17% are elderly and 12% are disabled. The SNAP payments in the district total more than $200 million a year.
In a Facebook post Wednesday, Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-23, blamed the impending loss of food stamps next month on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY. “Your political games are hurting people. You’re holding every SNAP recipient hostage and blocking pay for essential frontline workers,” said Langworthy, a member of the Agriculture Committee.
