SNAP Benefit Freeze: Pet Pantry Pop-Ups Launched For Needed Food Donations

SALEM, MA — As those who lost federal SNAP benefits on Nov. 1 increasingly look toward local food pantries and kitchen donations for meals, the MSPCA-Angell said it is also fielding an "unprecedented demand" for pet food amid the government shutdown.

To meet that demand, the statewide coalition of animal shelters is launching a community outreach program designed to solicit donations and then distribute them to those in need.

"No one knows when (SNAP benefits) will come back or how much of it will come back, and people need help immediately," said Alyssa Krieger, director of MSPCA-Angell Community Outreach. "We want to make sure that people are able to feed their pets while they're making impossible choices on incomes that were already limited before this shutdown."

The MSPCA-Angell’s Community Outreach team will increase the number of food pantries that it holds during the month of November.

"We're already operating in some of the communities hit hardest by SNAP cuts — like Lawrence and Boston — so we know how to reach people, but ramping up to meet this increased need puts a huge strain on our resources and staff," Krieger said

"No pet should go hungry during this shutdown but for us to stop that from happening, we need help."

The MSPCA-Angell said it distributes an average of 275,000 pet meals every month and needs to increase that number by at least 22,000 meals per week in order to meet demand. That is a roughly $6,000 cost each week.

"Details about our pop-up food pantries are usually only shared with the areas our Community Outreach team is already focused on," Krieger said. "Considering how great the need is now, we’re going to open these new events to everyone who needs help."

"We're anticipating a huge amount of need, and it will be incredibly challenging to keep up, but we're going to do everything we can."

The first public food pantry will be held on Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the MSPCA-Angell headquarters in Jamaica Plain. Details about that and future food pantries will be shared here and across the organization's social media channels.

"We really do need all the help that we’re able to get," Krieger said. "Whether it’s a bag of food or a couple dollars, we need support from animal lovers throughout our community to meet this need."

Those who would like to donate are asked to send food via wish lists here. Food may also be dropped off at MSPCA-Angell shelters in Boston, Methuen, Salem, and Centerville on Cape Cod, as well as Dakin Humane in Springfield.

Monetary donations to help buy food may be made here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)