With the federal government not distributing November food benefits during the government shutdown, the City Foundry and Operation Food Search are partnering to host a food drive.
The drive will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday during the Foundry’s Live Art Market.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds would not go out Saturday. This lack of benefits could affect about 650,000 people in Missouri and 1.9 million in Illinois.
Operation Food Search Chief Operations Officer Carlton Adams said the majority of SNAP recipients are working people.
“If you're choosing between shelter and food, that is a very difficult choice to make, and more and more of our neighbors are having to make that choice,” Adams said.
On the night of the food drive, drive-through donations can be made at the City Foundry roundabout accessed from Vandeventer, but food can be dropped off before and after that.
Donation bins are accessible at the Foundry and will remain there at least until the end of November, said New + Found President Will Smith. The company is the developer behind the Foundry.
Local businesses including the STL Fusion coworking space, WEPOWER and the Crack Fox will also have donation bins available all month.
Smith said the Foundry’s goal is always to engage with and help the St. Louis community.
“Since we opened, we have continuously tried to find ways … especially when there's a critical need, to address and be a space for people to come together to directly engage in that critical need,” Smith said.
He said a previous Live Art Market event coincided with a tornado relief effort. The May 16 tornado already put a larger strain than normal on local food banks’ resources.
Adams said the need for food is greater during the holiday season, and SNAP cuts will increase that demand even more.
“We'd already geared up for the season, so now we have to gear up on top of that,” Adams said. “And then, just for good measure, we had a tornado on May 16. And so our region hasn't recovered from that.”
Operation Food Search’s most-needed items for the drive are:
- Light tuna or salmon (canned or packaged)
- Canned chicken or meat
- Soup, chili, or stews with meat and beans (“a meal in a can”)
- Canned fruit (in natural juices)
- Diced tomatoes or tomato paste
- Canned spaghetti sauces (low sodium preferred)
- Canned beans (low sodium preferred)
- Instant brown rice
- Whole-wheat pasta
- Boxed meal kits
- Canned vegetables
- Dried spices (chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, basil)
- Deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste
The organization noted that donors should not bring glass containers or ramen noodles. Pop-top cans are especially appreciated.
The federal government shutdown is nearing the one-month mark. The Trump administration’s decision to not tap contingency funds to continue SNAP payments during the shutdown has garnered significant pushback, including lawsuits from more than two dozen states.
