SAN ANTONIO — Thousands of San Antonio families could be turning to food banks as a government shutdown is looming.
Congress has less than three days to act, and the San Antonio Food Bank is preparing for an increase in demand for help.
But this comes as the food bank is receiving fewer donations compared to last year and they have been tasked to help with an influx of migrants traveling through San Antonio.
Based off of past shutdowns, Michael Guerra, the chief sustainability officer with the food bank said they anticipate seeing anywhere from 20 to 30 percent more families in need next month if the shutdown lasts more than a few weeks.
“Right now, week in and week out, it’s about 105,000 to 110,000 individuals that are getting a food benefit,” Guerra said.
Guerra said the amount of demand they will see depends on how long the government is shutdown.
“If this gets entrenched, then I think, we think it can be tens of thousands that are going to turn to us,” Guerra said.
According to Guerra SNAP recipients should not be impacted through October. However, if a shutdown lasts longer than a month, he said the SNAP program may be at risk and the food bank would struggle to keep up.
“For every meal the food bank might provide for somebody in need, SNAP is providing 19 more and it would be almost impossible to make that up,” Guerra said.
Guerra said mothers who rely on the WIC program may be impacted even after a few weeks of a shutdown. He said because of the current state of our economy, donations have been down for the past six to nine months.
“People’s giving is a bit softer this year than the past couple of years,” Guerra said.
Guerra said with their recent demand to help migrants who are traveling through San Antonio and with plans to launch a campaign in November to help feed every senior citizen in San Antonio, a government shutdown would strain resources.
“And then you layer on a potential government shutdown, and it creates a challenge,” Guerra said.
However, he said the food bank is up to the challenge. He is asking for more volunteers and donations.
Guerra also said the food bank is working on getting the word out to federal workers and military families about the resources available.
“We’re going to be there for everybody,” Guerra said. “We’re going to do something; we’re going to have enough so we don’t want anyone facing furlough to be in fear at all.”
> MORE ON KENS