Food Pantry helps feed the valley through the shutdown

Volunteer Dusto McGuinness inspects dry goods before re-stocking the pantry shelves.

As the federal government shutdown stretches into November, Gunnison Valley residents could begin to feel the impact from Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) delays. This week, the Trump Administration announced it will partially pay for critical food aid throughout the closure. However, the president has since signalled he might withhold funding until the shutdown is resolved. 

Although uncertainty swirls on the national level, local organizations are gearing up to support the Gunnison Valley. The Gunnison Country Food Pantry is prepared to meet an increase in community demand, and is expanding its distribution hours as the federal stalemate drags on, Executive Director Jodi Payne said.

“I’ve had so many people reach out and say, ‘You just must be so stressed and freaked out,’ but I’m like, ‘We know how to do food distributions — this is our bread and butter,” Payne said. “[Our main challenge] is aggregating food resources and getting volunteers to show up, but we know how to do this — it’s what we do every day.”

On Oct. 10, the U.S. Department of Agriculture notified the State of Colorado that it lacks sufficient funding to pay SNAP benefits for the month of November. Now, nearly 700 households in Gunnison County could lose access to critical funds for groceries this month. 

SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps, assist over 1,000 residents in Gunnison County. Eligible households receive a set amount of money every month, based on the applicant’s income, family size and household expenses. SNAP benefits can be used to purchase essential groceries, such as fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy and grains, as well as non-alcoholic beverages.

Benefits are not all distributed at the beginning of the month, but are instead allocated based on the last digit of the applicant’s social security number. For example, people with a social security number ending in 7 would receive SNAP benefits on the 7th of the month and those with a number ending in 0 would receive funds on the 10th. So, recipients could feel the impact of SNAP delays over the course of the first 10 days of November, not necessarily all at once.

Payne estimates a 20% overlap between people who receive SNAP benefits and already use the pantry, meaning the nonprofit could anticipate 300 to 500 new households turning to the organization for help. But SNAP recipients aren’t the only Gunnison Valley residents who could feel the weight of the government shutdown. Payne said the food pantry is also working to support furloughed federal employees who are currently out of work and without pay. In response, the pantry is extending its usual distribution periods. The facility will now be open Mondays from 1–8 p.m., Thursdays from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4–7 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. 

On the afternoon of Nov. 3, the first wave of community members lined up outside the food pantry this month. Longtime volunteer Dustin “Dusto” McGuinness greeted a handful of newcomers and helped them navigate the shopping process.

“I don’t want anyone to go hungry,” McGuinness said. “I hope everyone feels welcome and comfortable here, and leaves feeling appreciated and cherished by this community.”

Every month, nearly 100 volunteers keep the pantry running. The community helpers pick up donations, sort through produce and assist visitors. McGuinness plays a key role in keeping the pantry well-stocked with fresh foods, and suitable to be distributed. Although keeping the valley fed is the top priority, Gunnison Country Food Pantry Manager Angie Krueger finds equal joy in offering comfort to people in need.

“It’s such a humbling experience because people come in and you don’t know what kind of experience that they’ve had out in the world — but it doesn’t matter,” Krueger said. “Some people need a hug, some people need people to talk to — and they’re in very stressful situations. And some of them are in tears when they come in, and by the time they leave, there’s a smile on their face, there’s a cart full of food and they’re at least a little less stressed about the world.”

Although there is no end in sight to the federal shutdown, the pantry will continue to assess its weekly distribution periods on a two-week basis and determine if the time periods are adequately reaching working families and new guests.

“We have a staff that is ready and willing to step up to the challenges of whatever nationally [is impacting] our community,” Krueger said. “We’ve been buzzing around all day, getting shelves stocked and ready.”

(Alex McCrindle can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or amccrindle@orourkemediagroup.com.)