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While the federal government shutdown threatened to pause SNAP benefits last week, entities in Nome were already mobilizing to fill the gap, from regional organizations to local community members. And efforts are underway to keep food on the table in the Bering Strait region.
When Nome resident Rachel Ventress heard about delayed SNAP payments, she reached out to a local Facebook group.
“And I just asked what people were anticipating, if there were other efforts happening. And several people suggested a community potluck. And I thought, 'Well, that's something that I could definitely organize',” Ventress said.
Ventress asked her church if it could host a potluck, and invited other church groups and community members, too. Donations of shelf stable food and potluck dishes poured in for the dinner on Monday.
“I feel like it was successful on all the fronts. The community really rallied to provide goods and to provide food, and then it seemed that it was needed, because everything that was provided was used,” Ventress said.
At Nome’s XYZ Center, the Nome Community Center Food Bank organized volunteers this week to pack food boxes for those in need.
Families were invited stop in to grab a box and Nome Eskimo Community offered rides and delivery for those homebound. Nome resident Hallie Silook McCully picked up food for her family.
“Yeah, I have a elderly dad who’s cut off and it’s pretty hard on him. And this helps a lot. I’m grateful for what they’re doing and helping with their community, their elders and kids out here. Nobody’s going to go hungry,” McCully said.
Support stretches region wide
Kawerak, Inc., the regional tribal nonprofit, funded the food box project. Last week, President Melanie Bahnke saw the SNAP crisis unfolding and pulled in leadership to talk about their options.
“So we met internally to come up with a plan to determine how we could provide some support. And we reached out to other partner organizations in the region and invited them to also provide us with assistance,” she said.
Bahnke said Kawerak’s concerns extend beyond Nome. Kawerak serves the 20 federally recognized tribes in the Bering Strait region. In coordination with the Nome food bank and regional tribes, Kawerak developed a plan to roll out food resources for the area. The support was funded by a portion of investment proceeds Kawerak set aside for emergencies.
“I really have to give kudos to the Kawerak board of directors for having authorized the creation of that fund and also giving flexibility so that, you know, by Wednesday of last week, we decided, if the government shutdown continues past Saturday, we were going to deploy resources so that people have food,” Bahnke said.
Kawerak worked with the State of Alaska to find out the average number of SNAP recipients in the region and expenses per month. This, combined with census numbers, helped pinpoint an amount to cover a week of food assistance in each community.
“So it's very much tribally-driven in our villages. And here in Nome, we relied on the expertise of Nome Community Center and the food bank to determine how much of each item should go in the food box,” she said.
Bahnke said there’s still room for other regional entities to step in and support the effort. But, she said, none of this is a long-term solution.
“It’s unfortunate. And long term, Kawerak cannot keep stepping in to fill the void where state and federal agencies have claimed the authority and therefore have the responsibility to provide services to our state and federal citizens,” she said.
Bahnke said recent high grocery costs have increased the burden on low-income families in the region and the state was already behind on certifying and recertifying SNAP benefits.
The bottom line, she said, is families are struggling to make ends meet. And while politics are playing out in Washington, Bahnke said, people’s lives are being impacted.
“I sincerely hope that Congress gets its act together and is able to at least fund these basic needs programs. Even in times of political disagreement, we all should be able to agree that children shouldn't go hungry in the wealthiest nation,” Bahnke said.
Food box distribution continued through Friday in Nome as regional tribes started to roll out support for families in their communities as well.
Food box pickup at the XYZ Center in Nome is again planned for Friday, Nov. 7, from 4-6 p.m. If you need food, and have not yet received a box, you are eligible. For a ride, call Nome Eskimo Community between 4 p.m.-5 p.m. at 907-434-0781. If you are home-bound and need food, call 907-443-5259 (Nome Community Center) before 4 p.m. of the day you’d like a delivery. Please leave your name, phone number, and address. Food boxes are limited to one per family for this week only.
Kawerak has issued Bering Strait region community tribes funds to support a week’s worth of food for families in need. Please stay tuned to communications channels in your community for information on local food distribution.
