The Myth About Who Needs Food Assistance Is Putting Our Neighbors at Risk
There is a persistent belief in this country that food assistance programs like SNAP and food banks exist mostly for people who do not work. The assumption is that as long as someone has a job and makes responsible choices, they will not need help putting food on the table. That belief has never reflected reality. And today, it is putting hardworking people at risk.
At the Port Angeles Food Bank, most of the households we serve include someone who is working. Many are working full time. Some are working two jobs. They are doing everything they are supposed to be doing, yet still face impossible choices. It is not due to poor decisions. It is due to the cost of housing, groceries, childcare, transportation, and healthcare climbing faster than wages have for more than a decade.
Hunger today is not a reflection of individual failure. It is a reflection of a system where paychecks and basic living costs no longer match.
What This Looks Like in Real Life
Here is the kind of situation we see every week.
A household with two working adults. Both employed in essential local jobs. They are paid hourly, and if someone gets sick or childcare falls through, hours are lost with no backup. Their rent is more than half their income. Childcare take up the next biggest portion. One unexpected bill, one car repair, one gap between paychecks is all it takes to empty the pantry.
This is not an exception. It is now a normal story.
The Role SNAP Plays — And Why the Upcoming Reductions Matter
SNAP benefits are one of the most effective tools we have to prevent hunger. They do not fully cover a household’s grocery needs. They help fill the gap just enough to prevent emergency crisis.
In November, many Washington households are expected to lose part or all of their SNAP benefits. For a working family, that could be the loss of two hundred to four hundred dollars per month in food support. That gap is almost impossible to absorb when people are already strained. It means skipping meals or turning immediately to food banks for help.
Food Banks Are Already at Capacity
It is often assumed that food banks will catch people when programs like SNAP are reduced. The truth is that food banks are already the front line, not the backup plan. We are already serving more people than at any time in our history. The Port Angeles Food Bank has grown from serving 10,000 household visits in 2017 to more than 45,000 in 2024. We are sourcing and purchasing more food. We are working harder than ever to stretch every dollar and every pound of food as far as possible. If SNAP reductions move forward, the demand will grow immediately. And it will come from working people who never expected to need this kind of help.
Why This Matters to All of Us
Food insecurity is not limited to any one demographic. It affects young families, seniors on fixed incomes, service industry workers, teachers, caregivers, gig workers, and people working essential jobs that keep our community running. It is not a problem of effort or intention. It is a problem of economics. Letting go of the myth that only unemployed people need food assistance is essential if we want honest solutions. Hunger is closer to many households than it may appear from the outside.
Now Is the Time to Act
If you are in a position to help, the most impactful way to support our work right now is through financial donations. Every dollar we receive allows us to purchase food at scale and stretch it far beyond what it would buy in a grocery store. Your support ensures we do not have to turn anyone away in the months ahead.
Please consider making a gift today. Together, we can ensure that every working family in our community has access to the food they need, no matter what happens next.
Make a gift HERE. Thank you for nourishing our community.