20 Nebraska state senators are pressing Gov. Pete Ricketts to extend emergency food assistance for families in need.
Demand for food amid the pandemic continues to grow The line for fresh produce begins early at the Open Door Mission.
âThere are so many families that have lost their jobs, or had more than one job and are only able to do one job now,â Laurie Anderson tells 6 News. She was picking up a food box for herself and a few others.
âWithin the pandemic times, this food helps for two weeks or one week,â says Nang Ra, who was also picking up food boxes filled with fresh produce.
The Together food pantry in Omaha saw their busiest week ever last week. âThere probably is some level of correlation between the extra benefits ending and the spike weâre seeing,â Mike Hornacek, president and CEO of Together, tells 6 News.
In March, the federal government loosened restrictions on SNAP benefits, making way for states to dole out the maximum amount to more people. That came to an end in July.
âYou can see between early August and now, itâs slowly escalated week by week," Hornacek says.
6 News asked Ricketts last week why he hasnât extended emergency SNAP benefits. âI think itâs part of the step, especially here in Nebraska with our low unemployment rate relative to the country, in getting people back to a normal life.â
But Hornacek tells 6 News thereâs still a need now. âWe had a thousand households and that translates to roughly 4,200 people come through our pantry last week and that doesnât happen if people arenât in need and arenât going hungry.â
(Photo from 6 News)