Harlingen church steps up as SNAP benefits face cut offs

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — In the Rio Grande Valley, more than 300,000 adults and children receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Across Texas, 3.5 million people receive help, which is more than 11 percent of the population.

On Saturday, thousands of families may learn their SNAP benefits, commonly referred to as food stamps, will not be deposited into their accounts.

Many families may turn to local food pantries for help.

Limitless Church in Harlingen partners with Border Missions in Hidalgo to host a food pantry every week. They offer a variety of foods to anyone who may be in need, with no requirements needed.

Church leaders say if SNAP benefits are taken away, they will be prepared to continue serving regardless of what may happen with the government shutdown.

Kiara Jett, a leader at Limitless Church, says they have served the community through this food pantry for the past seven years.

“We love the people. We want to be of help. We know there’s a lot of need in our community. There are a lot of families that go without, you know, children that go without. It might not be a lot sometimes that we give out, but whatever we do get, we are grateful and we love the people,” Jett said.

Jett says the church feeds about 250 families every week.

She says many of these families do receive SNAP benefits. While church leaders have not noticed any major change in supplies or demand since the shutdown began, they say they are not backing down.

“We’re not scared, we’re prepared. Whatever we have, they have,” Jett said.

Jett adds they are in the process of getting the church registered with a food bank to better fill the demand for more food if the cutoff of SNAP benefits takes place over the weekend.

Jett said the church has not had any official meeting regarding their plan if SNAP cuts were to go through, and they are waiting to see what happens before making any further decisions.