Farm Share to help needy Florida families missing SNAP benefits due to federal shutdown

One of Florida’s largest independent food banks is gearing up to help thousands of families who will miss federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to the U.S. government shutdown.

Farm Share is setting up distribution sites across Florida to help provide families with food relief beginning Saturday. Officials with the food bank say they’re already seeing a surge in demand from people who need the help keeping their family members fed.

“Every day, we meet community members who tell us they’ve run out of options,” said Stephen Shelley, CEO of Farm Share.

“With SNAP benefits threatening to pause and food prices higher than ever, people are turning to food banks like never before. At the same time, Farm Share is coping with significant state budget cuts that have forced layoffs, warehouse closures, and fewer trucks on the road. But even with fewer resources, we remain committed to feeding Florida families who have nowhere else to turn.”

For Farm Share, the latest federal government shutdown compounds the effects of a reduction in funding from Florida’s Legislature. As a result of the state funding cut, Farm Share had to reduce its operating budget by 22% in the past three months, Shelley said.

There are countless government services feeling the effects of the federal shutdown, with SNAP being hit particularly hard. Despite the best efforts of states, local governments and food charities, it won’t be enough to cover what the federal government does under SNAP.

Even states with fat budget surpluses can’t cover the SNAP tab much beyond November. That tab nationwide totaled about $100 billion in 2024, according to a report by The Associated Press.

Farm Share is a nonprofit organization founded in 1991 and works to retrieve unused food from Florida farms. That produce is then distributed to needy families at Farm Share locations across the Sunshine State. It’s the largest food bank in Florida and the third-largest in the U.S.

Farm Share is asking any Floridians who can help make up for the loss of SNAP benefits to make donations at FarmShare.org.

So far, state government responses to the federal government cutting off snap funding have been mixed. Some, like Rhode Island, say they will funnel reserve federal welfare funds directly onto debit cards issued to people who buy groceries with SNAP.

Other states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota and West Virginia, plan to boost funds to food pantries to help cover for low-income families needing food. Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Republican Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo are both seeking to direct $30 million in state funds to cover food assistance.

State governments in Alabama, Texas, Kansas and Florida have not acted.

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Material from The Associated Press was used in this report. Republished with permission.