ROCHESTER, N.Y. — More than 135,000 people relying on SNAP for food assistance across the Rochester region went without their full benefits earlier this month, leading food pantries to step in and help fill the gap.
The executive director at Rochester Family Mission on Tremont Street said the food supply is scarce at its food pantry. The pantry received recent donations from churches and donors, but it remains busy preparing for Thanksgiving.
“We’re thankful that we’ve been able to keep up with serving those that are in need to make sure that they have a meal or three,” Executive Director Warren Meeks Jr. said.
Two women, who visited the pantry and asked to remain anonymous, shared their concerns about not receiving SNAP benefits yet.
“People are completely nervous about not having food for Thanksgiving,” they said.
The women were loading their van with food for family members who do not have a car and have not received their SNAP benefits.
“We used to get way more, but now more people come to the pantry, so they got less stuff to give us because there’s more people that need it,” they said.
Meeks Jr. said the pantry sees about 100 families a day, and the beginning of the month was particularly busy.
“Our doors were packed,” he said. “We had lines at the door. People were lined up because they were in fear. They were in fear that they weren’t going to be able to feed their families.”
Despite SNAP benefits starting to become available, the pantry continued to see many visitors who express gratitude for the pantry’s efforts.
“They are about the community, and they never turn you down when it comes to food,” one of the women said.
The pantry is preparing to feed more families this month.
“Thanksgiving is one of our bigger holidays at our mission. What we do here is that we have a big food drive where we feed 700-plus families,” Meeks Jr. said.
Rochester Family Mission’s first-come, first-served food drive is scheduled for Nov. 22 at 180 Raines Park. Volunteers are needed to help pack Thanksgiving baskets, with packing taking place on Saturday. Anyone interested can sign up or donate here.
“It’s been difficult. But people that can, donate to these pantries because you don’t ever know when you might need them.”
“You don’t know what predicament you could be in, and this could be you, so just help as much as you can and donate whatever you can,” the women said.
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