It’s the end of the growing season, and after feeding her seven chickens, Jennifer Kellett walks through her garden.
An abundance of cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs and more veggies are scattered throughout her backyard. All of these add to her stockpile of frozen and shelf-stable foods, ready to donate.
“I was pretty sure that there was going to be some sort of food crisis that was going to happen this year, based on the general state of the world right now,” Kellett said.
And she was right.
More than 500,000 low- and- no-income Hoosiers rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. But SNAP and the people it feeds are in limbo during the longest U.S. government shutdown ever.
As the issue worked its way through the courts, and Congress continued debates over opening the government, locals such as Kellett rallied support to feed their neighbors. Kellett posted in a Bloomington Facebook group, offering help to anyone who needed it.
So far, Kellett has delivered fresh vegetables, meat and more to 10 families.
“You might not think that you have enough to give, or that you are not in a position to give,” Kellett said. “But if you have two jars of peanut butter and you only need one, you have enough to give.”
Kellett’s not the only one trying to step up. Financial support from local governments and private donors are rolling in. Grassroots efforts to feed the hungry and support struggling food banks are catching on, spreading through word-of-mouth and social media.
But it could be a Band-aid over a bullet hole. Kellett said this kind of grassroots work doesn’t compare to SNAP’s infrastructure or impact. For example, NPR reported SNAP provides nine times more food assistance than food pantries.
Advocates fear the situation could worsen as the holidays ramp up and the cold sets in.
“This is really serious,” Kellett said. “People are going to starve. People are going to die because of this.”
In addition to an overwhelming demand, local organizers say there’s been overwhelming support.
“We've already donated, I think, six grocery carts full of food,” said Kristin Cummings, leader of Girl Scout Troop 3007.
Along with seven local businesses, the troops are hosting a food drive through November for Pantry 279. Shelf-stable foods, such as rice, pasta and canned goods, pile up every day.
Pantry 279 provides more than 2,500 Thanksgiving meals every year, Cummings said, adding that she knew the pantry needed support before the holiday, especially after its turkey order was cancelled.
“I obviously immediately started seeing the impact of SNAP benefits going away and felt like we could expand our service project to make it even bigger and start it sooner,” Cummings said.
Pantry 279 was founded by Girl Scouts, Cummings said, so Troop 3007 is excited to continue that community service. She’s also encouraging people to donate money or frozen turkeys to the pantry.
“One of our moms just said, as someone who has been a single mother in the past and had to rely on SNAP benefits, ‘I can't imagine what our community is going through,’” Cummings said. “We get it. A lot of us have been there. We know that this is a hard time.”
In Fountain Square, one local business is getting creative. At Rewind Records, CDs and records by Ray Charles, Donna Summers, Bob Dylan and other iconic artists sit next to a small donation box.
“Music brings so many people together," said Ashley Chandler, Rewind Records co-owner. “I thought it would be a fun way to help the community.”
Chandler said SNAP users are welcome to take a record or CD for free. She’s also accepting donations for Hoosier Hills Food Bank.
“You want to make a profit, and I really feel like, as long as I can pay the bills, everything else is just extra,” said Chandler. “So, with so many people having an especially hard time this November, I just think that if there's something that I can do, I will do that.”
Chandler said she grew up destitute, going without food and burning stuffed animals for warmth. Still, she saw her mother give away her last $2 dollars so a stranger could eat.
“She really taught me that even if you don't have a lot, you can always still give something to other people,” Chandler said.
Seth Pacey, co-owner of Mae’s Townhouse and Lola’s Modern Kitchen, said he knows that hunger, too. The Seymour restaurants are named after his daughter, and eradicating childhood hunger has been part of their work.
“It was always something that I knew that she was never going to have to experience,” Pacey said. “We immediately wrote that into our mission at both locations, to really give back to the community.”
At Lola’s, families in need can receive free kids’ meals and grilled cheese sandwiches. At Mae’s, staff will provide free grilled cheese and biscuits and gravy. Tonya Pacey, co-owner of Lola’s and Mae’s, said these meals are offered with no questions asked.
he’s also working on making the under-the-table process even more discreet.
“We have a small menu on every table that's the Pay It Forward menu,” said Tonya Pacey. “People can either say, ‘I would like to redeem a meal, or I would like to purchase a meal.’”
Seth Pacey said donations have poured in.
“It was really a beautiful thing,” he said. “Because it didn't matter anyone's political or religious affiliations — just the community coming together to make sure the ones that are less fortunate still had food to eat was pretty spectacular.”
Gov. Mike Braun said the state will issue partial SNAP benefits to some Hoosiers starting Tuesday. Braun's office encourages people needing assistance to call 211 or reach out to their local food bank.
