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HOOPER, NE (WOWT ) — Nebraska Appleseed sent a petition to Gov. Pete Ricketts this week urging him to join every other state in extending emergency SNAP Benefits; helping out those struggling amid the pandemic.
“As long as the food is available we will be getting it and so far we haven’t had any shortage of food from the Food Bank and we are very grateful for that,” said Donna Von Seggern, who co-operates the Faith Food Pantry in Hooper, along with her husband.
She told 6 News there’s been an increase in demand amid the pandemic.
“Our distribution is supposed to start at 8 o’clock, but there are so many people here we start at 7:30 (a.m.).”
And that demand is evidenced by the signatures in support of extending emergency SNAP Benefits. More than 800 of the 1,200 signees left comments about their struggles to put food on the table; many of them from rural communities.
“We know that in rural communities, in particular, it’s a lot quieter, people don’t talk about it as much,” said Eric Savaiano, Program Manager of the Economic Justice Program, Food and Nutrition Access, Nebraska Appleseed. “It’s something that everyone experiences, and it’s a lot harder to access food pantries and food distributions out there.”
For the third month in a row, Nebraska’s the only state not to extend the emergency benefit
“On Monday we submitted a petition to the governor with 1,200 Nebraskan’s signing on,” said Savaiano. “We have not heard back as of yet about a decision for sure.”
At the food pantry lineup in Hooper, just outside Emanuel Lutheran Church, Von Seggern does her best to let people know about SNAP.
“We have the cards that tell them about SNP and then from there, they’re supposed to take those cards and read them and do it on their own,” noting they don’t have time to walk everyone through the application process.
6 News asked the Governor’s Office about the petition and was pointed to his recent decision to direct $11 million to the food banks.
“It’s a completely different scale compared to what SNAP could be doing in our state,” said Savaiano. “$11 million one time versus $8 million distributed through these benefits each month.”
And while work continues to try and change the governor’s mind, the work of the Faith Food Pantry continues to keep people fed.
“They just come from all over,” said Von Seggern. “So that’s why we’re not just a Dodge County food pantry, we’re not Washington County. I just call us a multi-county food pantry.”
The Governor’s Office also noted that for the second month in a row Nebraska has the country’s lowest unemployment rate.
Comments made by those urging the governor to change his mind can be viewed on Nebraska Appleseed’s gallery.
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