Feeding the Valley fights to meet community need as supply dwindles during shutdown

COLUMBUS, Ga. ( WRBL ) — The government shutdown is taking a toll on a local food pantry fighting to help families in the Chattahoochee Valley.

Feeding the Valley Food Bank is seeing 15 to 20% more community members in need of help since the shutdown began, according to the pantry’s president and CEO Frank Sheppard.

At the same time, the food pantry has lost access to government resources which Sheppard said accounted for just over 50% of its supply.

“The numbers are up to 125 [thousand people in need of help] and potentially could increase as more benefits that are typically available to individuals start to dry up,” Sheppard said.

If the shutdown continues, a potential loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Nov. 1 could hurt local families even more.