Earlier this year, President Donald Trump had suspended all Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits causing hundreds of Americans to lose food assistance. This was due to the government shutdown, causing all funding to SNAP to go on pause. 

Now, residents in Arizona are being affected by this suspension of SNAP benefits. A Phoenix resident named Ana Morales has been relying on St. Mary’s Food Bank as a critical resource to keep herself and her three children fed. 

“Sometimes we’re really short on money, so coming here helps provide food for my kids and myself. With prices going up, rent, gas, food, everything has gotten harder this year,” said Morales according to AZ Central. With the recent suspension of SNAP, it will be harder for people like Morales to get food to feed themselves and their families. 

This year, the organization that helps these families in need, averages about 50,000 visits a week, which is 10 to 15% more than it was in 2024. It is a massive increase of visits and could show concern that this many people are having to go to St. Mary just to get some food for the week. “Its been very busy, the lines usually run three lanes deep from 7 in the morning until we shut the gates in the early afternoon” said Jack Cordner, 69-year-old volunteer who spends four to five days volunteering at St. Mary according to AZ Central.

Food banks across the state are helping by stepping in when safety-net programs and are not keeping pace with need but there are some ways to help as an Arizona resident. People can donate nonperishable items like canned meat, canned fish, canned vegetables, canned fruit, and other items that can help these food banks, like St. Mary’s food bank, to continue helping people in need.