VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — When most of us open the refrigerator or freezer, we expect food to be there. For many in Hampton Roads, that’s not the case — and local food pantries say a prolonged government shutdown could make matters worse.
At Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Food Pantry in the Hilltop neighborhood, Director Patricia Morgan has been serving families for two decades. But she says the need has grown sharply.
“The end of September, we served 88 families, in total making it 309 individuals,” Morgan said.
Neighbors often come in after sudden hardships — such as job loss, medical emergencies or an unexpected crisis.
The Southeastern Virginia Food Bank, which supplies pantries like Morgan’s, has already lost $700,000 in funding this year. At the same time, food insecurity in the region has climbed from 1 in 10 people to 1 in 8, according to food bank officials.
“We would spend about $5 million in food and turn that into $36 million worth of product,” said Christopher Tan, executive director of the Southeastern Virginia Food Bank. “Last year we spent $4.3 million, and we turned it into $60 million worth of product.”
But with federal programs on hold, pantries may soon face shortages while also serving more families. Many of Morgan’s church members are government employees now at risk of missing paychecks.
“A lot of our members are affected,” Morgan said. “They lose the job, they can’t contribute, and they may end up having to come and use the food pantry themselves.”
As the shutdown continues, food pantry leaders fear a perfect storm: less funding, fewer donations and more families in need.
