Seattle nonprofit prepares for food emergency amid government shutdown

Government shutdown strains local food banks helping federal workers

Nine days into the government shutdown, a Seattle nonprofit, Food Lifeline, is struggling with razor-thin supplies as it prepares for an influx of federal workers needing aid.

SEATTLE - As the government shutdown entered its ninth day, with no end in sight, uncertainty immediately sank in for federal workers and their families.

Many people affected by the shutdown don’t know when they will receive their paycheck. Some workers may soon have to make the tough decision to either pay bills or put food on the table.

According to Feeding America, many Americans are a single-missed paycheck away from needing support from their local food banks. The nonprofit said, "A prolonged shutdown will deepen the strain, and more families will seek help at a time when food banks are already stretched due to sustained high need."

Feeling that strain is Food Lifeline, a Seattle-based partner of the Feeding America network. The nonprofit distributes goods to at least 300 hundred food banks, pantries and shelters in western Washington. However, directors said their supply is running thin.

What they're saying:

"We can’t fill this warehouse fast enough because, as soon as we get food in, it’s going right out," said Aaron Czyzewski, director of advocacy and public policy for Food Lifeline. "We don’t have what we need. We don’t have enough. Demand is exceeding what we’re able to provide. And that’s true all across the state."

Czyzewski said Food Lifeline and its partners have been challenged with a food shortage since the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the little resources they do have available could soon be stretched even thinner as federal workers turn to food banks for support during the shutdown.

"Right now, we still have inflation. So, grocery prices are high, cost of living is high," said Czyzewski. "If you add in the problems from the government shutdown, food banks will be overwhelmed. They’ll need help. They’ll need communities to rally for their support."

President Donald Trump met with his Cabinet on Thursday to discuss how the shutdown is affecting Americans who rely on government funding and services. The president remained firm on his threats to block back pay from some furloughed federal workers he claims "won’t qualify" once the shutdown is resolved.

Big picture view:

Along with federal workers, Feeding America said active-duty military members, senior citizens, and people who work for federal contractors will also be affected. Those people could "suddenly face impossible choices not knowing if paychecks or food benefits will arrive on time." Programs like WIC and SNAP already facing federal budget cuts could also be impacted during the shutdown.

In response to local needs during the shutdown, Food Lifeline is using $50,000 from its reserve fund to buy food and will set up emergency distribution sites next week in areas where federal workers live.

Czyzewski said, however, the issue of hunger goes far beyond the current government shutdown. 

"Right now, it’s playing out as a political problem in Washington D.C., but this is a real problem in people’s households. One out of two babies in Washington state is on the WIC program. Those benefits, if they stop or are interrupted, that’s keeping food from families with young children," said Czyzewski.

Until the federal government can resolve the shutdown, Czyzewski said food banks are relying on state and local support to help those who need it most.

"If we can de-politicize hunger, we can avoid a lot of the heartache and the stress and the grief that comes with food insecurity. And put people in better situations where they feel secure and they can go on with their lives," said Czyzewski.

Those who want to show support can donate to Food Lifeline or contact their local food bank to see what the needs are.

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