With Thanksgiving just around the corner, Norman food pantries are scrambling to support families impacted by the government shutdown and loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, funding.
The federal government shutdown, which ended Wednesday after 43 days — the longest shutdown in history — impacted the distribution of funding for SNAP at the beginning of this month.
Jess Alvarez, the interim executive director of Norman Food and Shelter, told OU Daily Wednesday that people are in crisis mode, and many of them don’t know how they’re going to put food on the table this month.
“I’ve seen an increase in guests really since (people) found out,” Alvarez said. “That last week of October is when people really started realizing, ‘Okay, maybe we’re not going to get benefits.’”
The Oklahoma Watch reported that 686,800 Oklahomans received SNAP benefits in 2024. That is 16.8% of the state population and more than the national average 12.3%. A Nov. 5 report from Consumer Affairs listed Oklahoma as the sixth most cost-burdened state by grocery prices, with the average household spending 11.8% of its income on groceries.
“Norman is showing up, …” Alvarez said. “People are really showing up in bulk donations as well for the kitchen to be able to prepare meals, and our monetary donations are up.”
At least 16 local groups have organized public food pantries that operate on a ‘take what you need, leave what you can,’ system, according to a Nov. 2 Instagram post by Red Dirt Collective.
Since the shutdown, Norman Food and Shelter has fed almost 100 families, 26 of which were new at the shelter.
“We’ve seen a 73% increase (in guests). Just a huge uptick,” Alvarez said. “We’ve increased the amount of food we’re making each meal… Our line is beginning much earlier in the day. People are lining up in preparation (that) there’s not gonna be enough at the end.”
Alvarez works in the kitchen where she sees young moms and kids come in to get plates.
“I feed breakfast and lunch every single day,” Alvarez said. “It requires a lot more volunteers, which we’ve seen a decrease in.”
OU Daily visited Norman Food and Shelter on Wednesday where the impacts of growing community needs are causing tension for employees and volunteers. Staff members were engaged with clients, and Alvarez momentarily stepped away from the interview to address an emergency in the lobby.
The decline in volunteers comes soon before Norman Food and Shelter’s annual Thanksgiving meal, which Alvarez expects to feed 1,800 to 2,000 people. Last year, Food and Shelter served approximately 1,400.
“We really need hands on deck,” Alvarez said. “We (get) anywhere from 15 to 30 calls a day of, ‘Is there any assistance in getting a Thanksgiving meal?’... Right now, we don’t have the means to do that. We’re really just trying to make sure people are being fed daily.”
People can sign up to volunteer through the Norman Food and Shelter website.
Amy Gibson, associate director of operations for the OU Food Pantry, wrote in an email to the Daily Wednesday that the pantry has also seen an influx of guests since benefits were cut.
“We definitely have our weekly consistent clients but we have definitely been seeing some new faces as well,” Gibson wrote.
Gibson wrote the OU Food Pantry has seen the impact of the shutdown not only in the increase in guests but also in the support from the OU community.
“We have been receiving donations and messages from the community asking how they are able to help,” Gibson wrote.
Alvarez said she’s confident the organization will be able to continue providing services to Norman residents, which she says is because of the community’s support.
Alvarez said Norman Food and Shelter received a $4,000 grant from a local church and significant food donations from various organizations, including 13 local bank locations currently collecting food for the organization.
This story was edited by Natalie Armour and Ana Barboza. Kylie Caldwell and Avery Avery copy edited this story.
