Foodbank responds to increased need due to government shutdown

On Nov. 12, the 43-day federal government shutdown ended. It was the longest government shutdown in our nation’s history. While the shutdown has ended, its effects will linger and neighbors will likely still need to visit the Foodbank and our network of hunger-relief programs for additional support as they recover.

Because of the shutdown, some federal workers did not receive pay, and food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were not distributed at the beginning of the month. SNAP recipients should begin receiving their November benefits within the week, while back pay for federal workers may take more time.

The Foodbank, along with food programs in our network, continues to see a significant increase in visits from neighbors seeking help. We're striving to keep pace with the heightened need, even as government food support has dropped by 36% this year. To fill the gap, we’re purchasing more food than ever before.

During this difficult time, the Foodbank is working harder than ever to ensure families get the help they need. Below is a snapshot of those efforts.

Pantries at both campuses now have extended hours. They’re open 9am-3pm, rather than 1pm, on Mondays and Fridays, and open from 9am-6pm on Wednesdays through Christmas Eve.

Additional pantry days and hours have also been added.

Special Additional Akron Pantry Hours:

Saturday, Nov. 15: 9am-11am
Thursday, Nov. 20: 6pm-8pm

New distributions have been added to the Foodbank’s pop-up pantry schedule and can be viewed here.

The Foodbank has also received outreach from community members asking how to collect food and funds for the organization. Extended hours to accept those donations are listed below.

Special Additional Food Donation Drop-off Hours in Akron and Canton: