Restaurants Fill Gap as SNAP Pauses Nov. 1

SNAP benefits are set to be paused beginning Nov. 1 because of the federal government shutdown, a move that threatens food aid for tens of millions nationwide. Local restaurants and businesses across the country are stepping in with free meals, discounts, fundraising and donations to help those affected. Examples include Palm Beach County restaurateur Rodney Mayo offering one free meal daily at his nine restaurants and coffee shops to SNAP recipients (supporting over 160,000 people), Milwaukee's Gather Bakehouse giving daily loaves and Strange Town serving free soup, and Kentucky's Luna's Coffee donating $1 per meal to God’s Pantry Food Bank. Oregon's governor declared a food-security emergency and outlets compiled lists of businesses offering help, while eight Wayne County, Indiana restaurants coordinated free-meal offerings and other communities from Mount Joy, Pa., to Kansas City and Evansville, Ind., reported similar temporary assistance. Most efforts combine direct free meals, discounted orders for SNAP cardholders, community gift-card funds or donations to food banks and are presented as temporary relief until SNAP benefits are restored.