ANNA MARIA – The need for services at the Roser Food Pantry often outpaces its capacity to help, according to staff, but that gap is expected to widen as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are expected to cease this month.
“I don’t know the magnitude yet (of increased need), but I know it will be there,” Roser Church Finance Administrator Matt Meehan said on Oct. 30. “To lose that money that people depend on at the beginning of each month, it’s a big deal.”
SNAP in Florida is administered through the Florida Department of Children and Families and is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a federal agency whose funding is affected by the federal government shutdown that began on Oct. 1.
“One person that I know that’s on SNAP is not looking forward to it, they’re wondering how they’re going to make it without it,” Meehan said. “I imagine they’ll be potentially going to multiple food pantries a week. As it stood, they were already running out of benefits generally halfway through the month. They didn’t have enough and now they’ll have less.”
According to the snap.myflfamilies.com website, “If the federal government shutdown continues into November, SNAP benefits for the month of November will not be issued until federal funding is restored. The Department is monitoring the federal government shutdown closely and will notify you as soon as we can resume issuing November benefits.”
“Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 1,” according to the USDA website.
More than 41 million Americans receive food-buying benefits through SNAP, according to the USDA. In Florida, more than 2.7 million people receive benefits and of those, 1.1 million are children under 18, more than 256,000 are adults with disabilities and more than 684,000 are elderly adults, according to USDA. The average monthly benefit was $153 per person.
According to USDA: “74% of Florida households receiving SNAP in FY 2022 had income at or below the poverty line. 25% of FL households receiving SNAP in FY 2022 had income from wages or work.”
In Manatee County, an estimated 40,000 people receive SNAP benefits.
“There are new people I just signed up,” Roser food pantry volunteer Doug Copeland said. “We’re getting a lot of new people and I’m sure once the SNAP benefits go away, we’re going to get more. We’ve signed up quite a few people here recently.”
“We’re asking for monetary donations, we’re low on money this year,” Meehan said. “In September, there was a noticeable lack of people here, I think largely because of hurricane fears and both food donations and monetary donations are down.”
Copeland said food pantry volunteers are also needed.
“We’re starting to get food but basically, it’s just three of us,” Copeland said. “As more people come in out here somebody has to take care of them. Some days it’s just me, helping people while I’m putting things away.”
Copeland said what doesn’t come in as donations is supplemented by church funds.
Suggested food donation items include canned vegetables and fruit, canned soups, cereal, canned beans and snack items.
“Money is the most impactful as far as I know but as far as food, anything that’s convenient to open without utensils,” Meehan said. “A lot of people don’t have a can opener, don’t have a microwave, don’t have a fridge. We do have frozen foods for those who can cook.”
Meehan said the food pantry sees a diverse array of clients.
“People in town come out here because they feel safe out here, people that live on boats, they don’t have a lot of storage space for food, people who live on the Island, people who are just passing through for a week or two, we never see them again, we don’t ask where you’re from,” he said.
Those who register may select the items they need and may fill one bag per week.
Five years ago, Meehan said Roser started a food card program which is sponsored by people who attend the church.
“I won’t sacrifice this operation to fund the card program, but we like to have always the ability to help more people,” he said. “There are people who work in the community, but they don’t make enough money to buy as much food as they need. That’s what the card program is for – the working poor.”
“Everybody understands, unless you’re really wealthy, that everything is costing more,” Copeland said. “We see people who no longer live on the Island but they work on the Island and no longer can afford to live here. These are working people but they need some help.”
To donate funds, visit www.roserchurch.com/food or mail to P.O. Box 247, Anna Maria, Florida, 34216. To donate food, drop it in the storage box outside the pantry or stop by the office Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To volunteer, call 941-778-0414. To pick up food, call the office to make an appointment for Monday or Wednesday from 10-11:45 a.m.
