Clark County community springs into action to aid those affected by suspension of food benefits

In the past week, Clark County residents have donated thousands of pounds of food, and businesses have dished up hundreds of free meals to help neighbors affected by the suspension of a federal food assistance program.

Last week, panic spread as it became clear that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — which supports about 60,000 people in Clark County — would not be funded for November.

The suspension left local food pantries preparing to bear the brunt of the storm. But community members stepped in to help ensure no one in the county is left hungry.

Although a federal court ordered funding for SNAP benefits, the Trump administration on Tuesday was threatening to withhold them until the end of the federal shutdown.

With so much uncertainty, Clark County business owners and residents say they will continue their efforts for the foreseeable future.

“I think it really shows that Clark County is made up of a tremendous group of people that really want to see this community thrive and grow,” said Steve Hollifield, owner of Creekside Barbecue. “If that means helping out our neighbors and friends in a difficult time, then that’s what this community is going to do.”

‘How do we help?’

Once the news broke about the suspension of food stamps, Clark County residents took to social media to express their concerns. Online community groups’ threads were flooded with people inquiring about where they could direct their help.

One of them was Margie Shepherd. The issue hits close to home. In college, she received $150 in SNAP benefits, which helped her keep food on the table while she juggled school and two jobs.

“I can’t even imagine what that has to be like for struggling families, working 40 hours a week with children, and just making minimum wage,” Shepherd said. “I think a lot of people are feeling kind of helpless and frustrated right now with the way things have been going.”

She didn’t want to just stew in her frustration, so she sent a text to a group of her friends asking, “How do we help?”

The group dropped off collection boxes at 18 businesses around Clark County. When the boxes are full, Shepherd and her friends collect them and deliver them to FISH of Vancouver.

“We just woke up one day, and we said: ‘We’re going to get involved.’ I just hope we can inspire other people to feel the same,” Shepherd said.

On Tuesday morning, Shepherd popped open the back of her Jeep, which was packed tightly with boxes of food. Shepherd and her friends began helping the staff at FISH of Vancouver unload the 466 pounds of donated food.

“First of many, I hope,” she told staffers as they wheeled the donated food into the pantry.

Meanwhile, a long line of people seeking help formed outside the door.

‘Stick together’

Local businesses have also stepped in.

Hollifield may own a restaurant now, but when he was a young teenager, his family experienced food insecurity after a serious car crash put his mother out of work.

She was a single parent supporting her children on a registered nurse’s salary.

“It was pretty eye-opening how quickly a middle-class family can just immediately have the rug pulled from under them,” Hollifield said.

So when Hollifield was doomscrolling on Oct. 27 about the food stamp shortage, he knew he had to do something. He wrote a quick Facebook post offering free, no-questions-asked hot meals at his restaurant.

Hollifield guessed Creekside would give out about 100 meals in a week. But last week, Creekside Barbecue served just shy of 400 people. Hollifield said a majority were single parents with children.

“We had a line to the door of nothing but kids and parents looking for a hot meal,” Hollifield said. “Saturday was extremely eye-opening. We had 50 people in the first two hours, and it was a lot of older kids. It took me a minute to figure out what was going on. It’s because they don’t have access to the school meals on the weekends.”

Families with children are among the largest group of recipients of food stamps, followed by older adults and people with disabilities.

The average food stamp budget for Clark County residents is $300, according to the Clark County Food Bank. But as grocery bills have risen 20 percent since 2020, SNAP benefits fall short of covering a household’s food, according to studies.

“Let’s face it, if you’re on SNAP, your budget is stretched so thin, with rent and food and gas prices,” Hollifield said. “SNAP benefits are not increasing anytime soon. I just don’t understand how families are supposed to make it these days.”

Bleu Door Bakery owner Bonnie Brasure invited residents to the express counter at her restaurant to ask for a “shutdown meal” of a sandwich, soup, a cookie, chips and a hot beverage. Brasure said Bleu Door served about 60 meals in the first two days.

Kat Stein, owner of Dandelion Teahouse & Apothecary, knows people will need assistance even after SNAP benefits are reinstated, so the shop started a community pantry. Stein said the pantry has received $600 in financial support to keep replenishing the pantry in the past couple of weeks.

Bigger businesses are also extending help. Burgerville will offer a free meal to children who are impacted by the SNAP cuts. Columbia Credit Union donated $10,000 to the Clark County Food Bank and is hosting a food drive.

“This is how we should be. I think that COVID put such a divide in our world and our communities,” Brasure said. “I think this is a great way to start bringing people back together and reminding them that this is how we were as a country, as a community. We need to stick together.”