Colonial Heights Food Pantry braces for shutdown impact: 'If it goes on... we could be in trouble'

COLONIAL HEIGHTS, Va. — Workers at the Colonial Heights Food Pantry are serving hundreds of families each week while preparing for a potential increase in demand due to the federal government shutdown.

With a setup that's part Chick-Fil-A, part Instacart, the pantry's staff tends to a line of cars during their weekly distribution on Thursday.

Warren Hammonds, the food bank's executive director, said they serve about 700 people each week. That equates to roughly 250 to 260 families.

While Hammonds plans to meet their weekly needs, he's also preparing for a potential increase in demands because of the current federal government shutdown.

"If it goes on for an extended period, we could be in trouble," Hammonds acknowledged. "We are preparing just by saving some money and knowing that we're going to have to buy more food, maybe search out other resources for donated products."

The increase in demand could come from a variety of factors — including missed paychecks or federal assistance programs.

SNAP benefits are expected to be good through October, while the National WIC Association says that its funding could only last between one to two weeks before states might have to cover funding.

The Colonial Heights Food Pantry has distribution days on Thursday and Friday — but you need to live in their service area to be eligible. If you don't know which food bank covers you, call Feed More at 804-251-2500 and they will guide you to resources.

CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.

📲: CONNECT WITH US

Blue Sky | Facebook | Instagram | X | Threads | TikTok | YouTube

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. To learn more about how we use AI in our newsroom, click here.