Oh, there’s so much going on — so much need, but also so much good!

With the government shutdown and the news that FoodShare benefits will not be distributed in November, it’s a lot to take in. In 2024 alone, 64,473 Dane County residents received federally funded benefits from SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) — known in Wisconsin as FoodShare.

On Tuesday, Oct. 28, with just four days to go before benefits would be cut off, The River had our busiest non-holiday on record. We served 493 households, including 29 new families, and distributed nearly 25,000 pounds of groceries and 910 to-go meals — and the holidays are still weeks away, when we typically see the highest need of the year.

During that very busy day, I spoke with clients as they waited in a long line to pick up their curbside groceries and to-go meals to better understand what our community is going through right now. I asked a few questions to find out how each household would be impacted by the lapse in FoodShare benefits coming at the end of the week.

The majority of those I spoke with do receive FoodShare and were aware their benefit would not be paid in November. There was a high level of fear, anxiety, and awareness that any money remaining on their cards needed to be spent before the end of the week. There was a wide range in the FoodShare amounts received, the lowest being $29 a month and the highest being $800 a month.

A few of the stories I heard:

• A grandmother who recently lost her job came to The River to get food for her injured grandson who cannot work. She shared that she has spent most of her savings and is struggling with the increasing prices of groceries.
• A single mother of 3 who receives $800 a month from FoodShare. She is hopeful that she will find a new job by next month as a CNA to make up the difference. In the meantime, she will continue to come to The River.
• A father who receives $768 a month from FoodShare for 2 adults and 2 children in his household. Both adults are working, but hours in their manufacturing positions can be inconsistent and are often cut with little notice. He has been coming to food pantries on and off for 2 decades. When FoodShare cuts off, he plans to visit multiple food pantries.
• A young family with 2 working parents and a baby came to get food and diapers. They normally get $536 a month from FoodShare.
• A mother of 2 whose partner recently passed away due to gun violence. She is doing her best to get through each day and stay strong for her kids. She will continue to rely on The River. Her partner had FoodShare (not her) and now with his passing, she will apply.
• A woman caring for her adult son with epilepsy who usually gets $150 a month from FoodShare, plus another son who has been in and out of jail. She walks to The River from apartments nearby.
• An elderly disabled woman who walks to The River from almost a mile away with her shopping cart every week. She normally gets $150 a month from FoodShare.

These stories are tough to hear, but they remind us why we are here. And we are grateful for this community.

Our communications and development staff and I have been working to get the word out — on social media, through our website, yard signs, flyers, interviews, anyway possible — and it’s working!

We live in an awesome and caring community. When we asked for cereal, we got 1,100 boxes. When we asked for egg cartons, we received hundreds.

I’m so moved by how many people are stepping up right now to bring in food donations, give money, volunteer, and spread the word. This past week, we saw a huge spike in new donors and over 200 new volunteer applications.

This outpouring of support gives me hope and gives hope to the people we serve — both existing clients and new households who have never visited our pantry before.

No matter what happens with FoodShare funding (or any other unexpected curveball that could get thrown during these uncertain times), the need for food assistance in Dane County isn’t going away…and neither is The River.