- Utah Food Bank can't fill the gap left by halted SNAP benefits.
- Ginette Bott urges public donations as 86,000 families may face food insecurity.
SALT LAKE CITY — With SNAP benefits halted, the Utah Food Bank said it cannot fill the gap for the 86,000 families who rely on food stamps each month.
The organization services 309 pantries across the state and is already stretched thin. Now, with nearly 90,000 additional families potentially needing assistance, the challenge is growing beyond what it can handle.
Ginette Bott, president and CEO of the Utah Food Bank, expressed deep concern about the impact of the halted benefits.
"Our numbers are already very, very high," Bott said. "Food banks, food pantries cannot be expected to absorb the magnitude of food or request that those many families are going to have — 86,000 families. We can't pick that up. We can help, but we certainly can't fill that gap."
As the holiday season approaches, Bott is urging the public to step in.
"We need donations more than ever," she said. "It could be food, it can be time, it could be money."
For those who rely on food stamps, like single mother Bria Cox, the situation is heartbreaking.
"It's not fair. I don't think it's right," Cox said. "I think those that actually deserve it need to have access to it."
Eighty-six thousand families. We can't pick that up. We can help, but we certainly can't fill that gap.
–Ginette Bott, Utah Food Bank
Teen volunteer Joseline Moreno shared her thoughts while helping at the food bank.
"It does make me sad about the amount of people that do need help," she said. "I wish there was more ways that I could help."
The Utah Food Bank said the biggest need right now is donations*—whether food or financial.
To learn how to help, visit utahfoodbank.org.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
