On Friday evening, the status of federal SNAP dollars remains uncertain, but over the course of the last week, dozens of businesses, organizations, and nonprofits have rallied to help their neighbors in need.
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That includes Lelulo’s, a Plum area pizza shop that has turned into a makeshift food pantry, where parents can come and shop for their kids.
Owner Patyn McCune transformed part of the dining room into a place for families to get groceries for kids – frozen meals, bread, fruits and vegetables, free of charge.
“We depended on food stamps and any kind of benefits that we could get, so if we didn’t have them, I don’t know what would have happened,” McCune said.“ I don’t think kids should have to be starving to get a snack.”
In Millvale, 412 Food Rescue said it has seen an uptick in need over the course of the last week.
“Food is not just a basic need, it’s a basic right, and we don’t want to see anyone going hungry at night,” said Alyssa Cholodofsky, CEO of 412 Food Rescue.
The organization said it is grateful for the donations it has received and the volunteers, like Congressman Chris DeLuzio, who helped out on Friday.
“The places and people like this, who are showing up, volunteering, otherwise, are going to be a lifeline, God forbid, if those snap benefits don’t go out tomorrow,” DeLuzio said.
412 Food Rescue says the more food donations it gets, the more people it can help, working with community partners to make sure food is accessible to all.
“The more we can talk about the issue and talk about the importance, and also the number of people who struggle every day, not just in this moment, but all the time. There are many times working people, they just don’t have the money,” Cholodofky said.
“I wouldn’t even be able to do 1/10 of what is happening right now without everybody who has contributed to it,” McCune said.
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