We know this time is uncertain and we are here to help. By partnering with local agencies directly, we’ve expanded our capacity to ensure anyone affected by the shutdown has access to essential resources, fresh food, and community connections that matter most in challenging times. We are continuing to monitor the situation and plan accordingly for as long as our services are needed.
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understanding the impacts
About 750,000 government workers across the nation are impacted by the shutdown - with millions more impacted by the pause in SNAP benefits. Here is our breakdown locally for the Tampa Bay area.
10,000+
TSA employees at Tampa International Airport and St. Pete – Clearwater International Airport, federal civilians and contractors at MacDill AFB, and Department of Defense military members
Essential workers are required to continue working through the shutdown and non-essential workers are furloughed until the shutdown concludes. Employees will receive backpay once the government reopens, but contractors will not.
nearly 250,000 SNAP households
Roughly 500,000 people across our 10-county region will temporarily lose access to SNAP, their lifeline to groceries, as benefits pause.
Broken down, Tampa Bay SNAP users are:
39% are children
20% are seniors
10% are disabled
(source: USDA)
Over 86% of SNAP users work (annualized). (source: cbpp.org)
our response
Through strong partnerships and an expanded offering of food and services, we are working alongside our community to make sure all impacted have the resources they need.
163,657 meals served
843 hotline calls answered
546 neighbors connected to critical resources
1,075 people supported through our Market + Neighborhood distributions
as of October 30
Working with our 400+ partner network, we are working to serve the additional SNAP population that will be seeking resources when their benefits pause. Our team will work to source extra food for our agencies, as well as stage distributions across our region to provide as much support as possible, for as long as it is needed.
help support response efforts
We are working with our partners and leveraging our connections to provide what the community needs — but we need your help.
