More than 7,000 Keizer residents are facing a sharp reduction in help to put food on the table for their families.
The state Department of Human Services said that no new food benefits, known as SNAP, will be provided starting Saturday, Nov. 1.
The announcement comes as the partial shutdown of the federal government is expected to continue into the new month. The closure has disrupted funding for much of the federal government, including money for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
According to the state, the average household receives $300 in SNAP benefits every month. A federal study reported that a family of four spends about $1,000 a month on groceries.
Over half of SNAP participants statewide are families with children, according to state demographics. Two out of five of those participants are working families. A quarter of Oregon’s SNAP recipients are school-aged children.
In Keizer, there are 7,198 people in 3,925 households receiving the food benefit.
“When the government reopens, we’ll send out benefits as quickly as we can. The timing could be delayed or different than usual,” according to the state agency.
People can still use benefits from previous months that are on their Oregon Trail Card, the state department said, but new benefits will not replenish.
Marion and Polk Food Share, which receives 18,000 pantry visits each month, is expecting a surge in demand because of the reduction.
“People will be able to get food at our pantries. We are just expecting more folks,” said Sam West, the food bank’s communications manager.
The operation provides much of the supplies for the Keizer Community Food Bank, located at Crossroads Fellowship Church at 4505 River Road N.
The Keizer food bank is open every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Monday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. It will continue normal operations despite the anticipated surge, managers said.
There, people can receive 100 to 150 pounds of food each visit. People can receive food up to eight times each month. That includes bread, fresh produce, canned goods, and some dairy products.
Jim Johnson, chair of the food bank board, encouraged people to donate money. The money would be used to supplement the food bank’s pantry.
“We need money,” Johnson said. “We have spent probably about $10,000 more than we brought in this year already.”
Online donations can be made through the food bank’s website at www.keizercommunityfoodbank.org.
The food bank also has food donation barrels at eight Keizer locations. They include Uptown Music, BiMart, Columbia Bank, Copper Creek Mercantile, Willamette Valley Bank, Key Bank, Keizer Elks Lodge and the Keizer Fire District.
The federal food subsidy is provided for families, individuals, and school-age children who qualify, which is determined by monthly income and the number of people in a home.
A four-person household making up to $5,359 a month, for example, qualifies for SNAP benefits.
HELPING HAND? Do you know of efforts in Keizer to help local families cope with food needs? Please send an email to Editor Les Zaitz: [email protected].
News tip? Contact reporter Riley Ellis: [email protected]
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