Dear Friend,

We hope this emergency newsletter finds you well. Besides what we posted on our website last week, I have waited to respond to ensure we have updated information for you. As October 31 approached, news across the country began to cover one of the most immediate negative outcomes of the government shutdown—the suspension of SNAP/food stamps for the entire nation beginning November 1.

I was somewhat hopeful that politics would be put on hold. I was wrong to be hopeful. Millions of Americans now face the harmful impact of losing SNAP benefits which support infants, children, adults and seniors with critical food access.

Two lawsuits were filed, ruling that government must either fully or partially fund SNAP. The government has chosen to partially fund SNAP in November. The complications associated with partially funding SNAP will delay benefits for weeks or months. And we do not know what will happen after November. Food stamp families and food banks are now in this for the long haul.

We are amazed by the outpouring of donations and support from you and people like you in Whatcom County. Local businesses, large and small are hosting drives, and concerned neighbors continue to reach out offering to help. 

With your support we have doubled our weekly food purchasing budget from $75,000 weekly to $150,000 weekly in effort to meet increased needs. Before this increase, our food purchasing budget was already the most aggressive in the state. We have let all of our elected officials know the impact of these cuts and how much we oppose the suspension and delay of food stamp benefits. And, we have been responding to lots of community members’ interest in supporting hungry people in Whatcom County.

The generosity is inspiring and is resulting in more food for our shoppers. And, it cannot fill the gap of lost food stamps. The food stamp program is the most efficient hunger relief program in our country and all SNAP recipients are now without any benefit—likely for all of November and until the shutdown is resolved. 

I am afraid we need your continued support to bridge this crisis. And, I’m afraid, even after the shutdown ends, we will still need increased support. There were already too many people coming to the food bank before SNAP benefits ended. The number of food bank shoppers is growing and the condition our shoppers are showing up in is getting worse. Many families now have $0.00 or extremely limited funds for food purchasing. 

Thank you for caring and for helping us feed our community. This is rough but I am encouraged because of the way our community is responding. Let’s keep it up.

Sincerely,

Mike Cohen

Executive Director

Checks can be made and mailed to:
Bellingham Food Bank

1824 Ellis St 
Bellingham, WA 98225