LOGAN — As the federal government shutdown stretches on, food pantries across Northern Utah are seeing a dramatic rise in families seeking help. At the same time, people and organizations are seemingly stepping up at a similar pace, with remarkable generosity.
At the Cache Community Food Pantry in Logan, Director Matt Whitaker said the increase in need has been staggering.
“We normally see five to ten applications a day,” Whitaker said. “Now we’re seeing 50 to 75 or even more applications each day.”
Matt Whitaker, Director of Cache Community Food Pantry. (Mike Anderson, KSL TV)
The pantry typically serves around 1,600 families a month. But with food stamp benefits halted, Whitaker estimates that more than 6,000 families in Cache Valley could be affected.
“We could potentially see a quadrupling of what we normally do in one month,” he said.
Despite the surge, donations have been pouring in. Whitaker said the Utah Farm Bureau recently delivered three pallets of meat, with a promise of four more to come. Volunteers are working hard to sort and distribute food, and even small donations are greatly appreciated.
“Everybody can help, even if they don’t have a lot,” said donor Kira Bangerter. “What you can give is going to be beneficial.”
That same spirit of giving is evident at Weber Human Services, where Executive Director Kevin Eastman and his team are assembling food bags for roughly 300 families who they’ve identified as needing extra help. Support has come in from grocery stores, bakeries, individual donors, their own employees and their own foundation — raising about $12,000 in donations.
“It’s just been overwhelming,” Eastman said. “The kindness and generosity in people’s hearts is really evident.”
Kevin Eastman, Executive Director, at Weber Human Services shows food bags that are being compiled for about 300 families. (Mike Anderson, KSL TV)
Still, Eastman warns that the current efforts are only a temporary fix.
“This is just a Band-Aid,” he said. “It’s like one week’s supply of food for those people. And every day that the federal government doesn’t put a budget together and restore those benefits, we’re going to have to try to see what we can do to bridge them to that point.”
Both Whitaker and Eastman said continued support will be crucial if the shutdown continues. Whitaker emphasized that no donation is too small.
“If anybody wants to donate, we will not turn that away,” he said.
Food and cash donations can be brought directly to the Cache Community Food Pantry, or through its website. Weber Human Services is accepting donations through its foundation website.
