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(ARCHIVE PHOTO | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Food stacked up on the shelves at the Graham Crisis Center’s Food Pantry. The food pantry service is available to all whose income is below the poverty line.
The Graham Food Pantry is asking for donations for those who could be impacted due to the loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program from the ongoing government shutdown.
The federal government has been shut down since midnight Wednesday, Oct. 1, with benefits and other areas of federal funding impacted.
Texas Health and Human Services announced that SNAP benefits for November will not be issued if the federal government shutdown continues past Monday, Oct. 27. HHSC stated it will issue SNAP benefits as soon as the department receives new federal guidance.
State residents can continue to apply for benefits and view case information at yourtexasbenefits.com during the shutdown. Those utilizing SNAP benefits must report changes and continue to follow instructions and deadlines for reviewing those benefits.
The Graham Food Pantry is under the umbrella organization of the Graham Crisis Center which is operated by Executive Director Joy Petersen. The executive director shared a message Sunday, Oct. 19 regarding the shutdown and its local impact.
“This is my call to ask you — if you are able — please donate to your local food bank or help a family directly,” she said. “If EBT shuts down for November, this isn’t just ‘benefits being delayed.’ This is kids losing school snacks and lunches. This is parents trying to stretch groceries right before Thanksgiving. This is families entering the holidays with empty refrigerators.”
Petersen is asking the community for donations of cereals, canned proteins, frozen meats and sandwich bread for the food pantry.
“I know times are tough for everyone right now but truly - until you have worked or volunteered at our pantry, your eyes, heart, and mind will not believe the heartache of people who are in need of something as basic as being able to eat,” Petersen said.
Additionally, the food pantry has an Amazon wishlist that can be ordered off of and shipped directly to the facility.
“It’s not our job to judge or make assumptions of anyone. It is our job to love and to serve and to glorify God with our thoughts, words,and actions. It is our job to share one another’s burdens and to lighten the load,” Petersen said. “Please, if you can be a blessing at all, just a small donation adds up and makes a world of difference.”
The Graham Food Pantry is located at 601 Indiana St. in Graham and operates Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. Anyone whose income is below the poverty level is eligible for the food pantry benefits and may receive food once per month.
The local food pantry serves around 1,350 individuals per month and distributes approximately 4,500 pounds of food per week.
In the state of Texas, SNAP is supplied through a Lone Star Card that can be used similar to a credit card at any store that accepts SNAP.
These funds cannot be used to purchase tobacco, alcohol or to pay for owed food bills or purchase of items that cannot be eaten or drank. SNAP benefits can be used to purchase food online.
According to Feeding America data, there was a total of $6.97 billion in SNAP payments distributed in 2024. Young County alone had a total of $3,002,050 in SNAP payments in 2024, with a total of 870,159 meals supplied.
Those in low-income households are eligible for SNAP benefits if they fit within the family size maximum monthly income requirements. The maximum amount a family receives is also based on family size, with a one-person household eligible for $291 and a four person household eligible for $973.
