SNAP enrollment drop strains local food pantries

ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (KWQC) - SNAP enrollment is declining nationwide, but local food pantries say the need for food assistance isn’t following the same trend.

SNAP enrollment has fallen more than 13% nationwide over the past year as stricter requirements have taken effect.

Nikki Habben, interim CEO of River Bend Food Bank, said food insecurity across the organization’s 23-county service area is at a four-year high, affecting nearly 140,000 people, including more than 43,000 children.

At Heart of Hope in Rock Island, Food Pantry Coordinator and Program Manager Troy Scott said the pantry has seen an increase in people seeking help in recent weeks.

Scott said some people coming through the pantry’s doors report previously receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits but no longer getting them.

“There is several that were claiming they were getting SNAP, then all of a sudden they don’t get SNAP,” Scott said. “And we’re hearing their information and they’re still needing food.”

Habben said there are several reasons someone who needs help may not be enrolled in SNAP, including changes in eligibility, administrative requirements and difficulty completing the application or recertification process.

Scott said the work requirements can also create challenges. He said local food pantries can provide volunteer opportunities for people trying to meet those requirements.

As more families seek assistance, Scott said food pantries are becoming increasingly important in their communities.

“Food pantries are going to be a necessity in our communities, more so than probably grocery stores,” Scott said.

Families are also facing difficult decisions as they stretch their paychecks. Scott said some people have to choose between paying bills and buying food, with pantries helping supplement what families can afford.

Scott said local pantries are working together and relying on donors and grocery stores to help keep up with demand.

Heart of Hope’s food pantry is open from 4 to 6 p.m. every Thursday.

Habben said River Bend Food Bank and its partner agencies will continue working to meet that need, but the charitable food system cannot replace the scale and purchasing power of SNAP.