Food Pantries
URGENT: SNAP benefits pause Nov. 1, 2025 – Across our nation, nearly 42 million Americans rely on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) each month to help them purchase groceries. It is our country’s largest food assistance program. Due to the government shutdown, SNAP benefits (known as Bridge Card in Michigan) have been paused indefinitely starting Nov. 1. This will impact 1.4 million people statewide, including families, seniors and people with disabilities who rely on SNAP to meet their basic nutritional needs.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
This means that people in our community who rely on regular food assistance each month to survive will be cut off until the shutdown is resolved, or another solution is reached. Many of those affected have no safety net to fall back on. It also means at a time when food pantries are already seeing an increased need, more and more families will be turning to them for help.
Our SRN parish community supports two area food pantries that are stepping up to fill the gap for affected families and individuals: The Other Way Ministries and Northwest Food Pantry. As SNAP benefits pause on Saturday, Nov. 1, the pantries are gearing up to serve families experiencing the loss of this food assistance and they need our help now more than ever.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
There are three crucial ways our community can assist in the pantries’ vital work right now: through donations of pantry items, financial donations, and by volunteering!
Donate pantry/personal care items: View the pantry needs list below, or pick up a copy in the narthex from the bulletin board at the base of the stairs near the baptismal font. Donations can be placed in the brown/tan woven baskets placed around the narthex. Donations are picked up every other week by either Northwest Food Pantry or The Other Way Ministries.
Make a financial gift/pledge- If you are in a position to do so, financial contributions are the most efficient way to support our pantries. Donated funds allow the pantry to purchase food based on real-time needs.
Donate to: Northwest Food Pantry | The Other Way Ministries
Volunteer! Most pantries run on volunteer power and they expect to see an increased need in this area as well. The pantries we support are always in need of volunteers. The links below will take you directly to the volunteer web pages for both of the pantries with whom we partner.
Volunteer with: Northwest Food Pantry | The Other Way Ministries
St. Robert’s supports two area food pantries: The Other Way Ministries and Northwest Food Pantry. Thank you for supporting the needs in our community. To get your copy of the current list of needed items, you may check the bulletin board in the Gathering Space.