PHOENIX – For the last three years, Jeanette Alvarado, 50, has relied on St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix to guarantee her children their next meal. It’s a concern she never had when her husband was alive.
“We never had to go through this. My husband and I always had a pretty good income,” Alvarado said. “It changed everything. Then, my kids, on top of having to grieve, they’re having to go through hardship.”
Alvarado still works five days a week, but turns to the food bank to supplement the loss of income from her husband’s death. She said she was also planning to begin receiving SNAP benefits, but is unsure those will be available.
“It’s emotional for all of us; you can hear it in my voice,” Alvarado said with a tear sliding down her cheek as she considers her teen son. “I’m lucky that he gets reduced lunch, at least.”
On Saturday, SNAP funding will not be distributed due to the federal government shutdown, leaving over 950,000 Arizona residents without assistance.
Thursday morning, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs loaded up cars with groceries at St. Mary’s Food Bank and addressed questions about the state’s response to the lack of funding.
Hobbs previously declared $1.8 million in emergency aid through the American Rescue Plan Act, made available to keep SNAP running for a short period. However, that amount rounds to just $1.90 per person, about one percent of the funding needed.
“This $1.8 million is not back funding, $150 million a month is expended in SNAP benefits,” Hobbs said. “So this is a drop in the bucket. It’s not going directly to consumers except for the $300,000 in the Food Bucks now program. It’s temporary emergency assistance, and it’s meant to support these food banks.”
Food Bucks, a program started by Double UP AZ, is an emergency fresh food program used to supply food for families who qualify for SNAP benefits. According to Hobbs, Arizonans who qualify will receive a $30 one-time voucher to be used at select grocery stores and farmers’ markets.
Hobbs continued to denounce President Donald Trump for not allocating SNAP emergency funds to keep the program running. Despite the 30-day federal government shutdown, SNAP has over $5 billion in contingency funds. The USDA already said it wouldn’t be using emergency funds for November payments.
In response, Hobbs reiterated a similar theme throughout the press conference.
“The government has never shut down and left people hungry,” Hobbs said. “I hope we don’t see that precedent right now.”
State Rep. Nick Kupper, R-Surprise, said the governor’s anger is directed at the wrong political party. He is frustrated with Arizona senators, D-Ruben Gallego and D-Mark Kelly, he said, for not signing the proposed federal budget. Until the budget is signed, the government will remain shut down and federal programs like SNAP will be unfunded.
“Rather than a short-term fix, our senators need to do their jobs and pass a budget now,” Kupper said. “The American people are more than fed up with being used as pawns by people who don’t struggle financially the same way the average American does.”
The political fighting in Arizona is taking place against a major development on the national stage. On Friday, a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration Department of Agriculture to temporarily continue funding SNAP .
“There is no doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will begin to occur,” said U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. “If it hasn’t already occurred.”
A politically charged note in the USDA website indicates that the administration has no plans to comply with the order.
“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the note reads. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”
Both sides of the political aisle are attempting to use their leverage during the shutdown, according to AZ Highground Public Affairs CEO Chuck Coughlin. The people of Arizona cannot wait another month for food assistance or federal benefits to kick in, he said, and the state doesn’t have the resources.
“I could see it happen for a week, maybe two weeks,” Coughlin said Thursday. “But the amount of resources that’s gonna require going outstrip you know people who just want to do it out of the goodness of their heart we’ll see we’ll see what happens, but you know whether large employers wanna start to kick in or you know the tech industry or somebody like that, but it’s gonna be you know people are gonna start looking at more more harshly at the Congress about not resolving this problem.”
Neighbors are trying to fill in the gap. Eric Collins, 36, and seven of his colleagues at the investment company Vanguard used their annual volunteer day to aid St. Mary’s effort to stock people’s shelves.
“They give us a PTO day to actually volunteer wherever you would like,” Collins said on his employer’s policy. “With the government shutdown and everything taking place, we knew that it would be a high-need time.”
While Collins doesn’t rely on SNAP benefits, the program plays a role in the lives of some of his friends and family. He was just one of dozens of volunteers and nearly 200 St. Mary’s full-time employees dedicated to assisting with the anticipated wave of people looking for help.
“It definitely gives you a feeling of gratitude knowing that you’re helping your local community,” Collins said.
Alvarado works at a call center from 1 to 9:30 p.m., she said, and can no longer be as involved in her son’s school or extracurricular activities as she once did. On her off days, she drives to St Mary’s and waits over 20 minutes each week to collect food for her son.
“I’m going to be there for him. I want him to know there’s some type of support,” Alvarado said. “At the bottom of the food chain to the top, I think that at some point everybody is still being affected by everything that’s going on.”
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