As politicians in Washington trade blame for the federal government shutdown and lawyers for half the states battle the U.S. Department of Agriculture in court over $5 billion in emergency SNAP funds, the consequences are already hitting home in towns like Riverhead.
With the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—better known as SNAP—set to run out of money on Saturday, 42 million low-income Americans are facing an alarming question: how will they afford food next week?
At food pantries across the East End, including Open Arms Care Center in Riverhead, volunteers are already seeing the impact. When word spread that SNAP benefits could stop on Nov. 1 if the shutdown continued, demand at local pantries surged, said Open Arms chairperson Zona Stroy.
“Demand rose in anticipation of the SNAP program losing funding for November,” Stroy said.
Open Arms operates from the basement of First Baptist Church of Riverhead, distributing food every Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Usually we get more people on Wednesdays,” Stroy said Thursday afternoon. “Now twice as many people as before are coming in on Thursdays.”
Despite support from regional food banks such as Island Harvest and Long Island Cares, and local help from groups like Riverhead Rotary and businesses like BJ’s Wholesale Club, Stroy worries that pantry shelves could soon run bare as more families turn to them for help.
“We’re in need of all types of nonperishable foods—canned goods, rice, pasta, jarred sauce—everything,” she said.
According to the U.S. Census, more than 8% of Riverhead Town households receive SNAP benefits, while across the Peconic River in Riverside, that number exceeds 14%.
The average SNAP benefit is $187 per month per recipient, costing the federal government about $8 billion monthly—nearly $100 billion in 2024. Though federally funded, states share responsibility for administering and distributing SNAP benefits.
Eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens and certain “qualified” noncitizens, such as lawful permanent residents, refugees, and those who’ve lived in the U.S. for at least five years. Undocumented individuals cannot apply for themselves but may apply for eligible family members, such as U.S.-born children.
In fiscal year 2023, adults aged 18 to 59 made up the largest share of SNAP participants (42%), followed by children (39%) and adults 60 and older (19%), according to the USDA.
A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled Friday that the USDA “must distribute contingency money timely or as soon as possible for the Nov. 1 payments to be made,” the New York Times reported. The decision followed another ruling by a Massachusetts federal judge, who called the administration’s decision to cease SNAP benefits “unlawful” and ordered officials to explain by Monday how they would fund November payments.
“Congress has put money in an emergency fund,” U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said during a hearing Thursday. “It’s hard for me to understand how this isn’t an emergency, when there’s no money and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits.”
Food assistance in the local community
LI Cares offers mobile food assistance monthly at Riverhead Free Library, 330 Court Street. Prepackaged bags of nonperishable food are distributed on a walk-up basis—no ID required—on Thursday, Nov. 20 and Thursday, Dec. 4, from 11 a.m. to noon. [Editor’s note: The food distribution previously set for Nov. 6 at Riverhead Free Library has been rescheduled to Nov. 20 due to water main construction that required the library to close on Nov. 6.]
Island Harvest provides monthly food distribution for prequalified seniors at the library. To apply, call 631-873-4775 ext. 210. Upcoming distributions are Monday, Nov. 3 and Monday, Dec. 1.
According to LI Cares, the following food pantries are currently operating in the Riverhead area:
- Church of the Harvest – 572 Raynor Ave., Riverhead, 631-727-1977
- Galilee Church of God in Christ – 87 Old Quogue Rd., Riverhead, 631-727-8470
- Joseph’s Storehouse – 24 Shade Tree Lane, Riverhead, 631-722-4969
- MHAW Riverhead Food Pantry – 1380 Roanoke Ave., Riverhead, 631-471-7242 ext. 1205
- LI Child & Family Development Services – 271 Flanders Rd., Riverhead, 631-396-7730
- Open Arms Care Center – 1018 Northville Tpke., Riverhead, 631-727-6943
- Our Redeemer Lutheran Church – 269 Main Rd., Aquebogue, 631-722-4000
- Salvation Army – 130 Osborn Ave., Riverhead, 631-727-3338
- St. John the Evangelist Parish Outreach – 546 St. John’s Place, Riverhead, 631-369-4601
- Suffolk County Community College/Eastern Campus Pantry – 121 Speonk-Riverhead Rd., Riverhead, 631-548-2531
- The Main Street Market Food Pantry – 901 E. Main St., Suite 508, Riverhead, 631-727-6220 ext. 224
People seeking food assistance can find additional pantries and updated hours on the LI Cares website.
As the shutdown drags on, Stroy said she’s bracing for what could come next. “People are anxious,” she said. “We just keep doing what we can, but the line gets longer.”
Editor’s note: This article has been amended to remove a location listed by the LI Cares website as a food pantry. It is a shelter, not a pantry and was listed there in error. It has also been amended to correct the times during which the Open Arms Food Pantry operates, which was incorrectly stated in the original published version.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
