With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away and the federal shutdown breaking the record for the longest in U.S. history, northern Michigan families are facing uncertainty – particularly with the status of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits still up in the air. According to the Northwest Food Coalition, 13,602 residents across Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Antrim, Benzie, and Kalkaska counties receive over $2.2 million in food assistance each month. More than one-third of those receiving assistance are children.

Even as a partial restoration of SNAP benefits is underway, the initial pause has ramped up an already incredibly busy fall for NMC’s Mobile Food Pantry, which partners with Feeding America to distribute a total of 5,000 pounds of food, amounting to $200 worth of fresh produce, dairy, meat, and meal essentials to each household recipient of the twice-monthly drive. 

Last year, the pantry distributed groceries to 85-100 families per drive. This fall, the need climbed to an average of 100-120. But on November 3, the first drive since SNAP was paused, those numbers spiked.

“Way up. More than we anticipated,” says Cathy Warner, coordinator of the Mobile Food Pantry. “It's a 30 percent increase from just two weeks ago and a 45 percent increase in participation from our first distribution in September.” Forty percent of the recipients for this latest drive were children. “It's my assumption that those numbers directly reflect the SNAP cuts as families seek out options for food for their kids,” says Warner.

The pantry, which operates as a walk-up or drive-through service from the college’s Maple Lot two Mondays per month, is aimed at supporting NMC students, but Warner wants to spread the word that it’s available to anyone facing food insecurity in the Traverse City community. “We know the need is there,” she says.

The next pantry is scheduled for Monday, November 24, ahead of Thanksgiving.

Warner, who also teaches in NMC’s Communications and Business departments, says she’s having daily conversations with students struggling to make ends meet. Many of them are parents with young children at home.

“The cost of everything has gone up,” she says. “Students are constantly making decisions about, do I pay for food? Do I pay rent? Do I get my medication?... often food is the thing that gets tossed out first.” Warner worries that SNAP’s pause combined with high prices will force students to drop classes so they can work more hours to make ends meet. And if that happens, she wonders how that will ultimately impact their future. “Education is going to be that key thing that gets them to whatever comes next,” she says. “And there's so many parent students that have come back to school, and I don't want this to become a hurdle they can't surmount.”

As leaders like Warner expand awareness of food sources this holiday season, the Northwest Food Coalition, which operates the Farm2Neighbor food distribution program and represents over 70 pantries and emergency meal sites in northern Michigan, says their member pantries and meal sites have seen a 30 percent increase in visits from September to October.

“With the upcoming holidays and current economic situations facing families at this time, these sites are expecting these needs to continue to increase in the upcoming months,” says Food Coalition Coordinator Rachael Cougler.

The Coalition is also collecting donations for their Immediate Needs Relief fund, which will be used by those pantry and meal site Coalition members to “procure food for our neighbors facing sudden food insecurity,” says Cougler.

The increased need for food has also been on the mind of locals like Stephanie Roman.

When Roman learned that fallout from the shutdown could make it even tougher for northern Michiganders to afford holiday meals this year, she rallied friends and local businesses to create the Hearts at Home Community Thanksgiving Food Drive.

“Hearts at Home is about neighbors taking care of neighbors, helping other local families in Traverse City feel supported, especially through the holidays,” says Roman.

With ten (and counting) drop-off partners – including Evil Queen Candles, Stone Hound Brewing Company, and Raduno – Roman is collecting donations of stuffing mix, instant mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and other non-perishables through November 20, as well as cash donations to purchase fresh food items. She’ll be organizing those donations into stocked baskets that will be distributed to families through the TCAPS Student Support Network the week of Thanksgiving.

Roman’s original goal was to put together 10 baskets, but just four days into the drive, she’d already collected enough for four. At that pace, and with more businesses signing on, she hopes to continue the initiative through Christmas.

“We don't always know who's really struggling around us,” Roman says. “I think a lot of people, even if they do struggle, it's really hard to reach out for help.”