There’s a heaviness in the air right now.
The government shutdown drags on, and SNAP benefits are up in the air .
For millions of Americans, including 183,000 people right here in Franklin County, this isn’t a political headline. It’s the question of how they’ll feed their children this week.
At the Broad Street Food Pantry, we’re already seeing the impact. In September, we served an average of 65 families a day.
Earlier this week, we served:
Monday → 81 families → 256 people
Tuesday → 86 families → 301 people
Wednesday → 106 families → 371 people
Thursday → 76 families → 230 people
Friday → 73 families → 214 people
These are the highest numbers we have ever seen.
For every meal a food pantry provides, SNAP provides nine. That gap is impossible to fill, but the need doesn’t wait. There are lots of new faces at our door: parents who worked full time last month, seniors living on fixed incomes, children who should never have to carry this kind of worry. It’s heartbreaking and, frankly, horrifying that hunger on this scale exists in a nation with so much.
And yet, something holy is happening too. Volunteers – both old and new- show up every morning. Shelves empty and fill again. Your support through this year’s Neighborhood Ministries Campaign exceeded goals and is funding this moment. A generous gift from The Columbus Foundation is also helping us keep food on the shelves. Neighbors call to organize food drives. New volunteers sign up every day.
We can’t fix the system overnight, but we can keep feeding people today.
We can let compassion guide our anxious energy.
We can take fear and turn it into food.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the news, do something tangible: buy a can or case of cans, offer your time, or share a meal.
It won’t solve everything, but it might steady your heart. 🧡
Because in a time of deep uncertainty, this much is still true: we belong to each other.
I love this-“ we can take fear and turn it into food”!!
In the worst of times, our neighbor’s goodness, kindness, and compassion shine the brightest giving me hope and courage.
Thank you for sharing the need and how people are coming together to care for one another.
Thank you, Betty. It’s true, when things feel darkest, compassion has a way of breaking through. 🧡 We’re continually humbled by how this community shows up for one another with such heart and hope.