Woonsocket organizes meals, pantries and donations as SNAP benefits pause
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Summary
Council members and the human-services director described a city-wide network of pantries, nightly community meals, and volunteer drives to respond to heightened demand after a federal SNAP interruption; officials urged residents to donate food and volunteer.
City officials and volunteers described an array of emergency food responses Monday after a federal pause in SNAP benefits led to increased pantry demand.
Councilwoman Fox said the federal SNAP suspension had left many residents without benefits and called for practical information: "Where do you get help? How can you help? And what help is the most needed right now?" Human Services Director Margo Moroso replied that the city's immediate needs are food donations and volunteers at pantries, and that seven local pantries have expanded hours to meet roughly double the usual demand.
Moroso listed drop-off points and partners: Connecting for Children and Families (Front Street), Community Care Alliance (245 Main St.), Holy Trinity, St. Joseph's, St. Agatha's, St. James Episcopal and the Milagros Project. She said pantries reported seeing "about twice as many people coming through, needing about twice as many groceries as usual." The city has set up donation boxes at City Hall, the Woonsocket Education Center, the post office and other community locations.
Council members described an additional community-driven response of evening meals across the city. Councilwoman Gonzales outlined a volunteer calendar of nightly meals at locations including the Boys & Girls Club, Aging Well, Milagros Project and area churches; council staff, volunteers and local vendors donated food so the program would not rely on city budget dollars.
Fox and other council members asked residents to check in with pantries if they want to volunteer; Moroso offered to connect volunteers with pantry coordinators. Fox also noted federal workers who live in the city and are required to report to work but are missing pay; she said federal workers are welcome to use pantry resources.
"If you need help, please go get help," Fox said. "There are a lot more people than ever before who are in the same circumstances...If you need help, put the shame aside."
