Food Pantry Visits From Military Families Climb Over 30% Since Government Shutdown Began

The government shutdown has surpassed one week and has put federal workers and military families in a financial bind, with food pantries in some portions of the country experiencing 30% upticks in traffic.

At midnight Oct. 1 the federal government shut down over political squabbling between Republicans and Democrats in Congress, with rhetoric ramping up as posturing on each side of the aisle has become futile. Democrats want assurances regarding health insurance subsidies while Republican lawmakers and the White House have accused the opposition of wanting to embolden illegal immigrants.

Dissipating negotiations have resulted in threats from President Donald Trump and GOP leaders to potentially not provide back pay to roughly 75,000 federal workers. The shutdown has impacted other facets of daily life including air travel, national parks, and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food program.

Of course, military service members and their families are also at the whim of politicians’ inaction. The Armed Services YMCA, which was instituted in 1861 during the Civil War to provide relief and comfort to sick and wounded soldiers, has encouraged the broader military community to take advantage of food assistance and other programs that in the short term could minimize financial strain incurred from delayed payments.

“Starting last week at our normal food operations, we saw an increase in demand,” Dorene Ocamb, chief development and brand officer of ASYMCA, told Military.com. “As a result, we ran out of food a little more quickly than normal. We had about a 34% increase in Killeen, Texas, which was the first sort of food distribution after the shutdown happened.

“I will say we sort of preemptively planned that if a shutdown were to occur that we would need to serve resources. So, we have planned some additional food distribution events…because we predict there is more need.”

ASYMCA helps about 500,000 military families per year on average.

This week food distribution events were planned on Thursday, in both Killeen as well as in San Diego, California. Additional sites were expected to be made available next week as well, coinciding with a pay week and lost wages during the shutdown.

Ocamb said such events, of which food distribution is not typical but necessary in moments like these, will continue in the meantime to provide access to food support.

Tens of Thousands of Dollars

ASYMCA’s primary focus is providing support to junior enlisted service members whose pay grades fall between E-1 and E-6. That is accomplished through myriad programs and services including providing low-cost and accessible quality childcare, as well as other child development programs and pre-K programs aimed to help military kids thrive while their parents serve.

A total of 22 different food distribution sites are hosted by ASYMCA across nine states, serving about 53 military installations. That translates to having perhaps one food distribution site in Hawaii, while multiple installations in the Hampton Roads area in Virginia Beach will serve multiple military installations.

The organization receives no federal funding and instead is subsidized mostly by donors and corporate partners.

“We estimate that every week that we have to do an additional food distribution, it'll cost us an additional $60,000,” Ocamb said. “So, we're working with outreaching to partners and to donors looking to raise additional funds to offset that additional funding that we'll need, for instance, next week to run additional food support events.

“Hopefully that doesn't last beyond next week, but if it does, we will continue to go out and seek funding from our partners to help ensure that we're able to meet military families’ needs. The most important thing is making sure that military families know about these resources and utilize them because what we don't want to have happen is a military family prioritize [their needs].”

Resources Beyond Food Security

Ocamb alluded to individuals and/or families getting payday loans or putting charges on credit cards and getting themselves in debt.

ASYMCA has also encouraged military families to tap into other resources beyond food sustenance to stretch dollars. That includes seeking local nonprofits and veteran service organizations which may provide gift cards or emergency assistance for military families.

Relief programs may be available through the Armed Services YMCA, United Service Organizations (USO), and base relief programs that traditionally offer emergency food assistance, financial counseling, and no- or low-cost family activities.

Other avenues for relief may include reaching out to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Army Emergency Relief, Air Force Aid Society, or Coast Guard Mutual Assistance for interest-free loans or grants to help cover critical expenses during pay delays. Partners like USAA and Navy Federal Credit Union are also offering members zero interest loans.

Free options for learning or entertainment can also be taken advantage of, such as libraries and community centers.

Should the shutdown persist for a lengthy period of time, military families are also encouraged to express any financial hardships with lenders, landlords and utility providers that may be able to provide deferrals, reduced payments, or waived late fees.

“It's absolutely critical,” Ocamb said. “Our goal is to really help military families connect with each other. And many of our programs, whether it's a childcare program or just a daddy-daughter dance, creating community is so important to what we do—especially in moments like this.

“We have found through our programs…two moms meet each other at an event and figure out, ‘Hey, you need some help. I need some help.’ They lean on each other.”

She said it’s not uncommon to find mothers in line at a food pantry who will galvanize. One, for example, will buy pasta noodles and the other will buy tomato sauce and then their families will cook and eat together.

“The creation of that community is something we work on 365 days a year, shutdown or no shutdown,” Ocamb said. “But it really is critical in moments like this.”