FORT MYERS, Fla. — A Fort Myers-based food pantry is expanding services to help families amid uncertainty around federal food aid.
WATCH: Non-profit helps fill need during government shutdown:
The Community Cooperative said it plans to open two pop-up food pantries in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Lee County. CEO Stefanie Ink Edwards said the cooperative originally planned to open one, but the group has recently seen increased need.
“Mobile pantries is something we do on a regular basis, so it’s easy for us to load up all the volunteers, and the food, and the supplies and we’re going to go to them,” Ink Edwards said.
The first pop-up pantry will be at the Boys and Girls Club in the Renaissance Preserve Community on Friday, Nov. 7, from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., according to the group. The second pantry will be at the Boys and Girls Club off Park Meadow Drive in Fort Myers on Monday, Nov. 10 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
SNAP benefits were scheduled to end Saturday because of the government shutdown. On Friday, two federal judges ruled the Trump administration can't suspend those benefits. Payments could still be temporarily reduced under the ruling.
Ink Edwards spoke with FOX 4 before the court decisions.
The Community Cooperative CEO says the shutdown is shifting the burden to non-profits.
"There's over three million people in the state of Florida alone who utilize SNAP benefits," Ink Edwards said. "If those suddenly go away, there's going to be a lot of pressure on small non-profits like us."
The group served almost 200 households in Lehigh Acres on Tuesday, Ink Edwards said – the non-profit had to turn away another 50 to 70 households.
The cooperative's mission is to end hunger and homelessness, Ink Edwards said. It’s been operating for more than 40 years.
The cooperative runs multiple programs to help families in need, including the Community Market on Demand off Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. It’s a food pantry that offers a grocery store-like experience for clients, Ink Edwards said.
“Going to a food pantry can be an extremely humbling experience if your family is in crisis and in need, especially if you’ve never been here before,” Ink Edwards said. “So we want to make sure that it’s a really positive experience in every way possible.”
Clients make an appointment to visit the cafe. The cooperative also plans to expand appointment times.
“A situation like this is something that really keeps a non-profit leader like me up at night, because it’s going to be a really hard thing for us to accomplish,” Ink Edwards.
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