Over 42 million Americans are expected to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits this weekend due to the prolonged government shutdown. Over 40% of SNAP beneficiaries are children. This means many of our neighbors will have to rely on overwhelmed and under-resourced pantries to put food on their tables — or pick up another job or choose food over rent. We think this is wrong.
We have an audacious goal of distributing 65 grocery gift cards THIS WEEK to families we have assisted through our Rental and Utility Assistance Program who are also SNAP recipients. Will you join us?
Drop off a $50 or $100 Walmart or Aldi gift card at the church office through Thursday, Nov. 6. (These stores are preferred, but we will accept any.) We will notify our neighbors to pick them up on Friday.
If you cannot do that, think about doing one of these things:
■ Support a local food pantry with a monetary donation or by giving of your time.
■ If your child is in school, let your school counselor know you’d be willing to help pack the school pantry or assist a family in need.
■ Call or write your members of Congress and ask them to fund SNAP immediately.
—Heather Mustain
Note: Some of you recently received fraudulent emails purportedly from Wilshire ministers asking for gift cards. Please remain vigilant and do not respond or click links in suspicious emails.