CREST HAVEN – The county commissioners, acting before a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to continue providing funding for the food stamp program, known as SNAP, authorized the distribution of $112,000 to eight community food pantries.
Trump had threatened to cut off funding of SNAP, the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for low-income families, on Nov. 1, which the judge said would have been illegal, according to published reports. Funding was ordered restored by Wednesday, Nov. 5, according to published reports.
Commission Director Leonard Desiderio said that more than 4,000 households in Cape May County were at risk of losing emergency food assistance if SNAP funds were cut off. SNAP is designed to provide “food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being,” according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture web page. The USDA runs the program.
Desiderio said the county funds are a stopgap measure to help people as they wait for the federal government shutdown to end.
According to Census Bureau figures from 2023, although less than 10% of Cape May County’s overall population is enrolled in the food stamp program, some 22% of the county’s children – more than one in five – are beneficiaries of the program.
The eight pantries, which each will receive $14,000, are Lazarus House in Wildwood; Seashore Community Church of the Nazarene in Lower Township; St. Barnabas by the Bay Episcopal Church, Villas; the First Presbyterian Church of Cape May; St. Casimir’s Thrift Shop and Food Pantry, Woodbine; Ocean City Community Food Cupboard-St. Peter’s Methodist Church; the Family Success Center, Rio Grande, and Bethel Commandment Church, Whitesboro.
Lazarus House Director Frank Stone, who said that food distribution at his pantry is now up 30%, said, “This is wonderful. An absolute miracle at a time when we need help the most. At Lazarus House we believe miracles happen every day. This is certainly near the top of the list.”
Almond Weech, compassionate ministry director at the Seashore Community Church of the Nazarene, said “Oh, wonderful!” upon hearing the news.
“Trust me, being a recipient of those funds, at this time, is a godsend,” Weech said.
He said he stopped into the church on Tuesday, Oct. 28, on his lunch break, and the office secretary told him a volunteer was supposed to bring a list of needed items, and the list was extensive.
According to Weech, the church is now in the process of fundraising for its Feed a Family program, which provides a full Thanksgiving dinner for families in Lower Township. He said the church has not even distributed application forms and it has received 300 applications from families.
In 2024 the church provided Thanksgiving meals for more than 250 families, totaling about 1,800 people. Early indications are that the need is increasing.
Weech said last year’s effort cost the church more than $48,000, which was donated by the church members. He said Seashore Community Church has been doing this for 10 years, and it tries to assist the families in the most need, distributing the food on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The effort includes the cost of the food, packaging and the delivery of the meals, which last year was accomplished by a team of more than 60 volunteers.
The church is also on the verge of beginning operation of its senior soup program, where it delivers hot soup to senior citizen shut-ins. Last year, the church helped about 110 seniors.
At the Oct. 28 county commissioners meeting at which the pantry funds were authorized, Carolyn Rush, a Democratic candidate for a 1st Legislative District Assembly seat in the Nov. 4 election, asked if the funding would be renewed if the shutdown continued. Eric Morey, a Democratic candidate for the county commission in the election, likewise asked if additional funds would be contingent upon the shutdown’s not ending.
Desiderio said the county would be in contact with the eight food pantries and would reevaluate the matter if there is no federal settlement.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or call 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
