Let These Food Resources Keep Your Family Fed Now And In The Future

Have you always had a kitchen full of food, only to have things change once the coronavirus came around? If so, you’re not the only one with this issue, as the job loss created by the pandemic has made many wonder where their next meal will come from.

Since food is so essential, this isn’t a problem you can put on the backburner. You need to address it now before health problems kick in due to starvation and deprivation, and here are the resources that will help you do just that:

If You Need Food Right Now:

What constitutes needing food “right now”? An empty refrigerator and a growling stomach. In other words, needing emergency food assistance because your food has entirely run out, and you don’t have money to buy more because you lost your job and have no savings.

Many families have found themselves in this situation after the breadwinner lost their job due to the coronavirus shutdowns. And while we did have COVID-19 stimulus payments in the past to give your bank account a bit of a boost, it wasn’t enough money to last very long.

How can you get emergency food assistance, so you don’t have to wait to be fed? You can begin by calling 211, so you can speak to a local operator. Let them know just how dire your nutrition situation is, so they can tell you where to find local food banks and other resources that can feed your family immediately.

After you make the call to 211, make another call to your state agency. Since they’re in charge of administering major food programs, they’ll know exactly what you need to do to start applying for long-term food assistance. Find your state agency by going here.

If You Need Food in the Future:

A call to 211 can help you with short-term food assistance, so you don’t fall victim to starvation during the pandemic. A subsequent call to your state agency can help as well. Either of those calls may lead you to eventually apply to some of these food assistance programs that can give you longer-term nutrition solutions, so you don’t end up hungry again:

Food Stamps (SNAP)

This program needs no introduction, as it’s been around for a while and is extremely popular amongst low-income families. If you qualify for SNAP benefits, you’ll get an EBT card you can use to buy essentials at the grocery store.

WIC

If you’re pregnant or have young children, this program can help you buy nutritious food. As a WIC recipient, you won’t have to worry about paying out of pocket for baby food, formula, milk, eggs, cereal, fruits, and vegetables.

School Breakfast Program/National School Lunch Program

School-age children from low-income families can get breakfast as well as free or reduced-price lunch through these programs.

While those aren’t the only food assistance programs out there, they’re an excellent place to start. Apply for as many as you can so you never have to face starvation again.