Frederica Freyberg:
As of tomorrow, SNAP or FoodShare benefits are due to run out because of the government shutdown. Wisconsin gets about $115 million a month from the feds to help some 700,000 people be able to buy groceries. State Attorney General Josh Kaul signed on to a multi-state lawsuit to tap contingency funds in the USDA to cover SNAP into November.

Josh Kaul:
A government shutdown has never stopped states from distributing these critical benefits to those who need them. So this lawsuit is about protecting FoodShare funding and preventing Wisconsinites and millions of others from around the country, from losing access to what can be life sustaining food assistance as the government shutdown moves forward.

Frederica Freyberg:
Following a hearing in the lawsuit, the federal judge in Massachusetts indicated she would order the Trump administration to send SNAP funds to states. So the familiar uncertainty persists. But adding to the federal SNAP cliff, some 18,000 federal workers in Wisconsin are mostly going without a paycheck. Where to turn for help to feed the family in the midst of it. Food banks and pantries are girding for a rush on their services. We turn to Jackie Anderson, executive director of Feeding Wisconsin, a statewide network of food banks. And thanks very much for being here.

Jackie Anderson:
Thank you for having me.

Frederica Freyberg:
So what kind of trepidation do you have going forward with potential lapses or disruptions in FoodShare benefits?

Jackie Anderson:
We’re very concerned about having enough food because we know that people already, in preparation for not being able to receive their SNAP benefits in the month of November, they’re starting to stock up. So across the state, we’re really thinking about how can we ensure that everybody has the amount of food that they had until the government opens up again and SNAP benefits will go back on EBT cards.

Frederica Freyberg:
You’re saying with people kind of stocking up even ahead of any kind of cut of SNAP funding, that you’re having difficulties because the costs are going up?

Jackie Anderson:
Yeah, we’ve seen that some vendors, because they know that there is pressure to make sure that we have food on our shelves. There are some significant increases that we’re seeing in some parts of the state. So, you know, we’re really trying to encourage people to use their SNAP benefits in the month of November because there was some miscommunication saying that a person could not use their SNAP benefits throughout the month of November, and that is inaccurate. The confusion was around whether or not stores would accept their EBT cards in the month of November, and the message — and that because of messaging that hadn’t come from on the federal level. And so we needed to be clear that everybody can use their benefits. So let’s say you have a balance left over in October. You absolutely can use that in the month of November.

Frederica Freyberg:
How have food prices already taxed your services even ahead of all of this, the shutdown?

Jackie Anderson:
We know that — what numbers we were looking at were actually pre-COVID. So we know already because of inflation that people cannot keep food in their shelves like they had previously done. So we know — we knew already that we didn’t have enough food at the food bank and food pantry world to keep everybody fed. And now this is just increased what we need to do.

Frederica Freyberg:
As to the lawsuit to tap USDA contingency funds to cover SNAP through November, what’s your response to the administration saying they can’t do that?

Jackie Anderson:
Yeah, it’s frustrating because we know that there is funds on the federal level. We know that there’s funds at the state level as well. The funding is there. It’s just a matter of releasing it. And it is a political game at this point. And everybody needs to come together because people are going to go hungry. And that is not something that anyone should play around with. We need to really take advantage of the funds that are there and release them.

Frederica Freyberg:
It does seem like a policy choice, because there are some lawmakers who believe that the SNAP program is bloated or rife with abuse and fraud. What do you know about that?

Jackie Anderson:
It’s not. We see time and time again, and we know the vast majority of people who are using SNAP benefits absolutely are working more. They work 1 or 2 jobs. It’s not — it’s not fraud. It’s not fraud, waste and abuse. We know that people who need it are 700,000 people throughout the state of Wisconsin. Of them, a large percentage are senior citizens and families with children. It’s not people who are taking advantage of the system.

Frederica Freyberg:
Even with a court order, could recipients experience a lapse in FoodShare?

Jackie Anderson:
Absolutely. So even when, let’s say funding is released and it goes back on their EBT cards, we know that there will be a slight delay just to get everything up and running again. So we’re being really clear in the messaging around that, that even when the government opens up, it’s not going to be a miraculous, you know, addition on their EBT cards. It’s going to take a couple of days to get things up and running.

Frederica Freyberg:
So Feeding Wisconsin secures donations from retailers, food companies, local donors and ag producers. Have those donations kept pace with this demand?

Jackie Anderson:
It’s interesting. So our food banks collect a lot of donations. And what you just spoke about, I think where we’re seeing the biggest lapse right now is corporate donors. And that could be because of tariffs. Like there’s a lot of reasons why that’s happening. But on the whole, there is donations. So many people want to help out right now. We encourage anybody if they are interested in helping out, go straight to the food bank or the food pantries instead of doing individual food drives. That is where you can get the most for your money. Where they have purchasing power, they understand what their community needs.

Frederica Freyberg:
So for people who have never sought out food pantries, what should they know?

Jackie Anderson:
Yeah, they should know that our food pantries are welcoming and that they are there to help the community. They try to communicate what is available. Most, not most — all food banks and food pantries, they are — their times are listed on their websites and sometimes those change based on if it’s a mobile pantry. Also, expect long lines. We’re seeing right now, you know, where there used to be maybe an hour-long line. Now it’s 2 to 3 hours long, so expect a delay. If you could get there during the distribution hours early, that will help ensure that there’s enough food for you.

Frederica Freyberg:
Is it true that right now, there are many first-time users kind of of pantries?

Jackie Anderson:
Yeah, absolutely, especially in those military communities. We know that there are first timers. You know, anyone else who is a federal worker. If they’re not getting paid, we know that they’re going to be first timers as well as just people who are struggling too because of the cost of groceries right now. So, absolutely, the number of first timers is high.

Frederica Freyberg:
All right. Jackie Anderson, thanks very much.

Jackie Anderson:
Thank you.