The government may be back open, but for many families in the Big Bend, the real recovery is only beginning.
Families who rely on SNAP benefits will not feel the relief right away Local food banks say the need is already rising. Watch the video below to learn more about the annual Turkey Drive to help families heading into Thanksgiving. Shutdown ends, but strain on Big Bend families and food banks continue
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Theres not been a time in our history where we have received more phone calls and more concern for our community, said CEO of Second Harvest of the Big Bend Monique Ellsworth.
Many families who rely on SNAP benefits will not feel the relief right away, and local food banks say the need is already rising.
Congress reached a deal to fund the government after days of stalemate, and the president signed it Wednesday night.
Federal agencies are now reopening, but leaders warn it will still take weeks for delayed programs to catch up.
FSU professor of economics Dr. Randall Holcombe says although the shutdown has ended, it is not a permanent fix.
One of the big problems with the shutdown and the temporary fix is the uncertainty. Some individuals are pretty reliant on the government funding which they werent getting. Those are short-term problems, but theyre real problems for the people who faced them, Holcombe said.
For families across the Big Bend, that means paying bills, stretching groceries, and waiting for benefits that have not been processed.
Ellsworth says her team is preparing for a wave of families who cannot wait for federal timelines.
What weve heard from our neighbors is that to kind of make up for the fact that, for the first two weeks of the month, they didnt have access to their SNAP benefits is that theyve been spending savings, using dollars from they were gonna earmark for other bills to try and make ends meet in terms of feeding their family and themselves, Ellsworth said.
Food banks across our region are already seeing higher need.
The pause in benefits means many households could head into the holiday season without the support they count on each year.
That is why volunteers and partners are moving quickly to fill the gap.
The annual Turkey Drive by ABC 27 and Second Harvest of the Big Bend is underway, with a goal of collecting 1,000 turkeys and raising $50,000 to help families while federal aid is delayed.
Online donations are open, and turkeys can be dropped off at two locations in Tallahassee. Both sites will be staffed throughout the day to help families who want to give.
The Thanksgiving distribution is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 22.
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