PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WPRI) — Community leaders were at The ELISHA Project in Pawtucket on Friday to help prepare nearly 10,000 pounds of produce for Rhode Island families.
As the government shutdown continues, millions of Americans were set to lose food assistance on Saturday, including thousands of people in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
While federal judges have ruled that the White House must tap into conditional funds to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) running, it may still take weeks before benefits are available.
LIST: Food drives happening in Rhode Island and Massachusetts
Gov. Dan McKee’s office said the donated food in Pawtucket was the result of a collaboration between r4 Technologies and the nonprofit, Sharing Excess.
The technology company identifies surplus food which Sharing Excess then distributes to community organizations.
“In the absence of November SNAP benefits, there is an urgent need for food assistance in Rhode Island right now,” McKee said in a press release. “While the state has put strategies in place to provide $6 million to support more than 20,000 Rhode Island families with children and additional funds to strengthen food access for others, we rely on the ingenuity of r4 and the generosity of all Rhode Islanders to help their neighbors.”
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ELISHA Project CEO George Ortiz Jr. noted that the nonprofit has seen an increased demand for assistance before the shutdown even began.
“We’ve seen a tremendous increase in demand for food this year from people who are hungry and who cannot afford basic essentials,” Ortiz said. “We are fortunate to have a powerful community that is willing to come together to help us meet the needs of those who will go without unless there is a helping hand, but we must do better.”
McKee’s office said former Delaware Governor Bethany Hall-Long recommended the collaborative effort to Rhode Island leaders and was also at the event on Friday.
You can learn more about the status of food assistance during the government shutdown here. If you would like to help, you can find a list of community food drives here.
