LOCK HAVEN — As millions of Americans prepare to lose vital food assistance in early November, Clinton and Centre County Commissioners are urging residents to step up and support local food banks and their neighbors in need.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will run out of money on Saturday as a consequence of the ongoing federal government shutdown. The loss of benefits will affect approximately 10,000 residents across Clinton and Centre Counties and more than two million Pennsylvanians overall.

SNAP is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which the Trump administration contends cannot tap into its roughly $6 billion contingency fund to cover next month’s benefits in lieu of a federal budget. Without this money, the agency cannot fund the approximately $8 billion in food stamp benefits for November, which support one in eight Americans — particularly children, the elderly, people with disabilities and low-income earners.

According to the most recent information available to commissioners, 14.9 percent of Clinton County residents, or approximately 5,637 people, rely on food assistance. In Centre County, local food pantries fed over 4,000 people last year.

Many local food pantries also rely on state and federal money, with that funding on hold at both the state and federal levels, food pantries are working hard to stretch existing funds as long as possible.

The combination of increased holiday demand, limited government funding and the increasingly likely scenario SNAP benefits freeze in early November could create a devastating trifecta for food pantries and the people who rely on them.

“Food pantries and churches throughout Clinton County are scrambling to make sure they are prepared, and several community members are working on a comprehensive list of food resources that can be shared throughout our community,” said Clinton County Commissioner Angela Harding on Thursday.

In this difficult time, she urged community members to look after one another.

“Please make sure to check on your neighbors and the most vulnerable among us as we work through making sure that we don’t have food insecurities in our community,” asked Harding. “If you would like to contribute to the cause, please consider a monetary donation, because local food banks can leverage buying power through the Central PA Food Bank and stretch a dollar much further than we can if we go to the grocery store and buy food to donate.”

Commissioner Harding also noted that many local schools have backpack programs that provide students with snacks and meals for the weekend and encouraged residents to take advantage of them.

In Centre County, commissioners issued a similar call, saying, “Without the generosity of community members, the growing demand for food assistance may quickly surpass what pantries are able to provide.”

They also shared a list of items community members are encouraged to donate beyond money, including condiments, pancake mix, fresh or canned fruit, fruit-flavored jellies, cheese, meat sticks, protein snacks, cereal, juice, ready-to-eat soup, oils, coffee, toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bath soap, hand soap), paper products (facial tissue, paper towels, toilet paper), trash bags and cleaning supplies and equipment (as needed; contact pantries individually to inquire).

“Regardless of how you feel about assistance programs, it is not okay to demonize or place shame on food insecurity,” said Harding. “The wealthiest nation in the world should not be facing this, and our elected officials need to get to work, negotiate, and most importantly, work for all citizens — especially those less fortunate among us.”

In that call for action, she was joined by Commissioner Jeff Snyder, who said the routine failure of legislators to pass their budgets is unacceptable.

“It is time for the voters across this Commonwealth to keep in mind — the next time they vote for legislators — to pick people who know how to go to Harrisburg, and know how go to Washington, that can reach across the aisle and do what we send them to do instead of making everything political and then having services not being provided for people in need,” said Commmissioner Snyder, “We need to vote smarter and get people that represent us, and not themselves, in Harrisburg and Washington.”

For individuals in Centre County, information about food pantries, emergency food assistance and help for those who are not income-eligible for SNAP can be found at www.centrecountypa.gov/food or by contacting the Office of Adult Services at 814-355-6768.

Centre County government also noted a recent increase in reports of phone-based scams related to SNAP benefits. In many instances, people have received calls or text messages from an unfamiliar number, claiming that a person’s food assistance benefits are in jeopardy of being halted unless the target can verify their personal information.

The Department of Human Services (DHS), or the organizations operating under DHS, will never ask for personal information in an unsolicited text message, email or phone call.

If you receive correspondence about your SNAP benefits or food assistance and you are unsure about the legitimacy of the message, please contact the Office of Adult Services at 814-355-6768 to verify.