OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Oshkosh Area Community Pantry is hoping to help those in need as the government shutdown delays SNAP benefits for about 17,000 people in Winnebago County.
Saturday, the pantry opened its doors for an additional two hours on a day they are typically closed.
“Really, the reason we’re doing it is in response to the delay in SNAP benefits and allowing folks who traditionally can’t come to our pantry during our regular hours some extra opportunity to be able to come and do some shopping on the weekends,” says the pantry’s executive director, Ryan Rasmussen.
The pantry is a member of the Winnebago County Hunger Network, a collaboration between all the pantries in the county.
“Collectively we all kinda came to the decision that opening for the expanded hours once we knew the delay was going to happen was going to be really important for folks, we recognize that families were already stretching their dollars and this was going to make things significantly worse,” Rasumussen says. “To be able to offer some additional times and give families that relief, and be able to grab groceries during off times was going to be really important.”
Rasmussen says there are about 17,000 Winnebago County residents who rely on SNAP benefits.
“So even if 30% of those folks come and utilize pantry services, that’s going to be an additional 100 people each pantry that folks could see,” he adds. “We are concerned, we are really going to need an increase in donations, both monetary and food in order to survive this.”
Before the delay in benefits, the pantry was already serving more people. Four years ago, Rasmussen says they averaged about 1,300 families per month. Now, they’re serving over 2,800. SNAP delays will make it even more.
The pantry will do expanded hours again on November 22nd from 10am to 12pm.
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