SNAP delay puts bigger strain on Oklahoma food pantries

Thursday, November 13, 2025

Media Contact: Trisha Gedon | Sr. Communications Specialist | 405-744-3625 | [email protected]

During the federal government shutdown, more than 680,000 Oklahoma families did not receive their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, and many turned to local food pantries to help them continue putting nutritious food on the table.

Grocery prices are at an all-time high and consume a larger part of the household budget, said Dr. Nila Pradhananga, Oklahoma State University Extension food and nutrition state specialist.

"The cost of food can make it harder to keep your family fed, and it's even more difficult for those who lost their SNAP benefits," Pradhananga said. "Local food pantries across the state have been a valuable resource for those families, but with more people seeking assistance, food pantries are stretched to the limit."

Rachael Condley, executive director of Our Daily Bread in Stillwater, Oklahoma, reported a 20% increase in guests in Payne County. Our Daily Bread is a food and resource center that provides self-select groceries to families in the community at no cost to them.

"We're still meeting the needs of our guests and continuing our service model to our regular guests," Condley said. "We're offering more groceries per visit, and we've expanded our pick-up program. We want to make sure our guests are getting the foods they know how to cook and serve."

The holiday season is just around the corner, a time when many families gather around traditional, tried-and-true family recipes and meals. With food pantries already seeing increased food distribution, some may need a boost as well.

What can the public do to help ensure that local food pantries keep their shelves stocked so that families in need can still provide holiday meals?

Condley said the most beneficial way to help food pantries is to donate money.

"We certainly love getting all of the food donations, but we can buy in bulk and tax-free, so we can maximize monetary donations," she said. "This is the time of year when organizations do food drives, and that's fantastic. It's helpful for us at Our Daily Bread if those food drives focus on two or three items. It speeds up our sorting and stocking, which requires volunteers and makes better use of our resources."

Some great options for food donations include shelf-stable proteins such as peanut butter and canned tuna or chicken. Also consider donating cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products and household items. Plastic shopping bags are also needed.

"We know people's hearts are in the right place, but huge boxes of food such as cereal and rice, or 25-pound bags of flour and sugar, aren't a good idea," she said. "We don't have a license to repackage them into the smaller portions most families need. Regular-sized food items are best."

Pradhananga said there are other ways to help food pantries besides donating money or food.

"Most pantries can always use extra volunteers," she said. "They depend on volunteers for daily operations, and especially during these busy times when more people are seeking assistance."

Many food pantries offer more than food and household products. Some partner with other agencies such as OSU Extension, Red Cross, local technology schools, county health departments and others to provide educational classes on budgeting, cooking, nutrition and even vehicle maintenance. Volunteering to teach a class is another way to get involved and help.

"It's important for families to be able to provide nutritious meals for their families, and supporting local food banks can help make that happen," Pradhananga said.