As SNAP cuts loom, here are food assistance resources helping fight food insecurity
As more than 42 million low-income Americans who rely on SNAP benefits, including 16 million children, brace for the potential freeze in food assistance due to the government shutdown, food banks and other organizations across the country have scaled up efforts and called communities to action to help those in need of critical nutritional assistance.
How to donate food and resources for Americans reliant on SNAP
The possible disruption to SNAP funding on Nov. 1 would have a direct impact on beneficiaries of the food assistance program, and has already caused a ripple effect on the country's food system, some organizations say.
John Sillars, CEO of Second Harvest Food Bank in the Greater New Orleans region, joined "Good Morning America" on Oct. 30 and said "even before the shutdown, demand was up for our services" as a result of USDA policy changes.
Sillars said they anticipate having nearly 200,000 people who had been relying on SNAP that may not receive benefits starting next month.
"We are looking to community support more than ever. But we are going to serve those people as best we can," he said. "We are treating this just like a hurricane, where we are going to step in -- it will be a challenge, but we are up to the task, as we have been before."
From food banks to food rescues and community fridges, see where you can donate to help from the list below.
Capital Area Food Bank
Click here to donate to the regional Washington D.C. and Virginia-based member of the Feeding America network of food banks.
LifeNet4Families
Click here to donate to LifeNet4Families' Community Café in Broward County, Florida, which provides hot meals to hundreds of people daily.
Mercy Chefs' Feed the Force
Click here to donate directly and contribute to helping feed military families who may be affected by SNAP cuts.
Second Harvest Food Bank
Click here to donate to the Central Florida area food bank network.
Feeding South Florida
Click here to donate directly to the nonprofit member of Feeding America.
Feeding America
To support families during the shutdown, click here to donate to Feeding America's Community Response Campaign.
According to the nonprofit, for every meal Feeding America provides, nine are provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
California Association of Food Banks
With the federal government is shut down, the organization that represents 42 food banks throughout the state said it will continue to operate and offer food and support to families in need. Click here to donate.
City Harvest
The CEO of the largest food rescue resource in New York City, Jilly Stephens, penned an open letter about the halting of funds for SNAP recipients and in a new statement to ABC News on Wednesday said this expected disruption "would have a devastating impact on the 1.8 million New Yorkers and millions more across the country who rely on this critical program to feed their families."
Click here to donate to the New York-based nonprofit food rescue.
Regional Food Bank Hudson Valley
Click here to donate to the upstate New York food banks, which serves 307,000 families, children, seniors, and people with disabilities who could be at risk.
Food Recovery Network
For anyone who owns a food business -- or may have extra resources -- donation distribution channels like the Food Recovery Network will help redirect surplus food to those in need.
For restaurants, schools, caterers, grocers and other small-scale donors, click here to learn how to create an account and donate food.
For large-scale industry suppliers like food manufacturers or farmers, click here to set up a donation inquiry.
Where to get food assistance amid SNAP benefits freeze
From community stocked fridges to restaurant-backed food rescue sites, here are a handful of places dedicated to helping at-risk Americans stay fed.
City Harvest
"At City Harvest, we know from experience that even a single missed paycheck or delayed benefit can force families to seek food assistance," Stephens told ABC News. "We have been distributing food at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, and near LaGuardia and JFK airports to support federal workers impacted by the shutdown."
City Harvest has added distributions through food pantry partners in areas with high numbers of SNAP recipients.
"As the government shutdown continues, even more of our fellow New Yorkers could find themselves in need of food assistance. No matter what happens in the weeks to come, City Harvest is committed to being here rescuing and delivering as much food as we can for anyone in our city who needs it," Stephens said.
Click here for a city-wide map to locate free distribution sites that include soup kitchens, community fridges and food pantries around the New York area.
Feeding America
Click here to find a local food bank from the vast Feeding America network of local partners.
"If you are navigating challenges, your efforts to care for yourself and your loved ones are seen and respected. Reaching out for support is a sign of strength, not shame," the CEO, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, told ABC News. "These resources exist because communities care about one another -- local food banks and church pantries are there for everyone who needs them, whether for a few days or longer. No one should have to face hunger alone."
FoodFinder
The nationwide free-to-use resource and nonprofit helps connect people in need to nearby food pantries across the U.S. Click here to find a location near you.
Freedge
For those worried about getting food on the table, this nonprofit sharing resource points to a network of community refrigerators stocked and cared for by communities that are available 24/7 to anyone.
Click here to locate a community fridge or share the map with Americans who may be in need of finding food assistance.
DoorDash
The food delivery platform announced an emergency food response to deliver 1 million free meals through Project DASH, the company's effort to power free delivery on behalf of its Feeding America food bank partners, in November.
DoorDash said it will also waive its delivery and service fees for an estimated 300,000 grocery orders for SNAP recipients at Sprouts, Dollar General, Schnucks, Food Lion, Giant Foods, The GIANT Company, Hannaford, Stop & Shop, Hy-Vee, Giant Eagle and Wegmans.
The company said the move comes in response "overwhelming demand" felt by food banks nationwide amid the federal shutdown.
Gopuff
The on-demand delivery service responded to the ongoing government shutdown by offering SNAP recipients a $50 credit for SNAP-eligible items for free, delivered in as fast as 15 minutes.
In its announcement Tuesday, Gopuff said it will cap the total relief at $10 million.
