Many in Natick Rely on SNAP Benefits

By Sandy Quadros Bowles

Editor

When news hit that neighbors might go hungry during the government shutdown, Natick stepped up.

An emergency food distribution event took place Nov. 1 at the Natick Service Council to provide food for residents that might be affected by the elimination of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP. Funding was stopped when the government shut down, leaving some families unaware of where to find their next meal.

“As soon as word got out (about the shutdown), people really wanted to help,’’ said Rachel Vingsness, who served as director of operations for the council. As of Dec. 1, she will become the council’s executive director.

Donations of food and money allowed the pop-up event to serve 22 pounds of food and a $25 gift card to Stop & Shop to nearly 300 people.

The SNAP stoppage hit Natick hard. More than 1,300 Natick families receive SNAP benefits, with nearly $370,000 in SNAP benefits spent monthly in Natick. 

When SNAP benefits ended, “there were a lot of people who needed more than’’ the usual food allotment provided by the council, Vingsness said. Both regular clients of the pantry and new faces reached out. “An exhaustive wait list’’ after the SNAP benefits ended prompted the emergency distribution, she said. 

Without that emergency help, home pantries were running low or emptied all together. “We got lots of thanks, I really needed this,’’ she said.

The shutdown has since ended but need remains. And the Service Council provides that help through a variety of programs.

Each month qualifying families can shop the pantry, which is set up similar to a grocery store and offers non-perishable food staples. They can also receive perishable items. 

The council also offers support in a variety of other areas, including a clothing pantry, career counseling and help with applications for fuel assistance and MassHealth insurance for low-income families.

A case manager will meet with individuals to determine their needs and direct them to the best options. “If we don’t offer the service they need, ‘’ such as mental health support, “we refer people’’ to programs that might help.

“We’re almost a gateway to people,’’ she said. 

Services are provided almost entirely through community support. Although some grant funding is utilized, about 85 percent of the funding comes through individual donors.

The holiday season often sparks donations, as people are inspired by the message of giving during the season. And the giving is deeply appreciated.

But the need extends well beyond the holidays, retiring Executive Director Dan Shea said. The programs run year-round, as does the need for support.

“We have an absolute crush’’ of donations around the holidays, he said. But by the spring, much of that giving has been utilized. “Summer can be challenging,’’ he said.

The council’s motto, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,’’ fit the emergency distribution day perfectly, Vingsness said. The extra support would not be possible without the generosity of Natick residents. 

“It’s pretty powerful that we can do this,’’ she said of the emergency food distribution “The fact that we can do it with community support, it’s unbelievable.’’ 

For more information on the Natick Service Council,including volunteer opportunities and how to receive assistance, call 508-655-1791 or visit natickservicecouncil.org.