Sewell tours food giveaways in Selma as part of 'SNAP Day of Action'

Surrounded by canned goods at Selma Area Food Bank Monday, Congresswoman Terri Sewell warned that the ongoing federal shutdown and delay of SNAP benefits is already fueling an increase in hunger across Alabama’s rural Black Belt, and local community organizations are carrying the weight.

Sewell, who represents Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, had a “SNAP Day of Action,” where she traveled to food distribution sites in her hometown of Selma before ending at the food bank for a press conference with Selma Area Food Bank Director Ryan Johnson and Black Belt Community Foundation CEO Chris Spencer. She called the loss of SNAP funds “chaos” and said no one wins when the federal government shuts down essential services.

“In Alabama alone, 750,000 Alabamians depend on SNAP benefits to eat,” Sewell said. “58,000 households are here in the 7th District. These are children. These are seniors. These are disabled. These are working people.”

Selma Area Food Bank’s Johnson said the delay in SNAP benefits beginning Nov. 1 has increased demand by more than 30 percent. SAFB partners with 50 agencies across Dallas, Marengo, Perry and Wilcox counties, is already seeing it firsthand.

“Our staff has worked tirelessly over the government shutdown to keep up with what’s really been a 30 to 35 percent increase in demand,” Johnson said. “Those 50 ‘front doors’ that are churches, nonprofits, community sites are what help us distribute nearly 2 million pounds of food each year.”

Spencer said the Black Belt Community Foundation is fundraising through the “Food for Families in the Black Belt” campaign to fund food banks and pantries in the 12 Black Belt counties it serves and urged residents to give financially, volunteer and support emergency food efforts.

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“This emergency food crisis has put a spotlight on the Black Belt again,” Spencer said. “Look out for your neighbor and do the work we need to do to be neighborly.”

Sewell also reminded residents that federal employees working without pay are also feeling the impact, not just SNAP households. She encouraged residents to donate canned goods, volunteer to pack boxes, and give financially to local food banks while the federal fight continues.

As part of her “SNAP Day of Action,” Sewell visited Gospel Tabernacle that held a food giveaway and she stopped by the Edmundite Mission’s Bosco daily meal program. She was able to serve food to those in need, noting how good the fried chicken was. 

“Even with court decisions coming, it will take at least a week or two for payments to restart,” Sewell said. “We are blessed to have amazing people and organizations standing in the gap.”

Resources given at the press conference:

• Selma Area Food Bank: www.selmafoodbank.com | 334-872-4111
• Feeding Alabama statewide food finder: feedingalabama.org
• Black Belt Community Foundation “Food to Families” campaign: www.blackbeltfound.org | 334-874-1126
• 211 for national resource connection