April Austin, a 40-year-old mother of five, had lost her SNAP food aid benefits amid the government shutdown when she saw a post in a neighborhood Facebook group about “grocery buddies.”
Austin hadn’t received much income, in general, since August. While doing everything she could to put food on the table by taking on extra babysitting work and other jobs, Austin was having a hard time finding permanent employment.
She said she suffers from migraines, a symptom of her chronic condition, fibromyalgia, which makes securing a full-time job difficult.
“It’s definitely created emotional stress,” Austin said. “Cost is already high, and now they’re taking away assistance.”
So, she responded to Andy Leahy, of Linwood, who wrote on Facebook that she’d be willing to match those seeking food assistance with strangers who would be willing to lend a hand.
“It helped for sure,” Austin said about $50 Visa gift card she received from her sponsor, Evelyn Fisher.
What are ‘grocery buddies’ or ‘food buddies?’
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps, is a program that gives low-income households a monthly benefit to purchase healthy food.
Due to the government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has stopped distributing those funds to roughly 1.45 million Ohioans.
On Nov. 6, Federal District Judge John McConnell ordered the Trump administration to fully cover federal food assistance for 42 million Americans by Nov. 7.
USA TODAY reports that the order from McConnell comes days after the administration said it would provide only partial SNAP benefits for November.
The Trump administration quickly moved to appeal the order, meaning the timing of when recipients can expect to receive their November food aid remains uncertain.
In addition to the many churches and community centers offering food assistance programs, citizens have also taken to social media, particularly Facebook, with a generous offer: being a “grocery buddy” for an individual or family in need.
Grocery buddies volunteer their money and time to help buy groceries and other essential household and personal items for their neighbors.
After hearing about the growing trend on Facebook, Leahy felt compelled to start her own efforts.
She’s created an organization called Grocery Buddies, which matched 36 people with a buddy on its first day. Leahy said most of the organization’s referrals have come from social workers, social media and word-of-mouth.
The organization, seeking to expand its network, has contacted six organizations about possible partnership opportunities. The group also plans to open a bank account to store any remaining donations after the shutdown, which will go toward helping people on SNAP during emergencies and holidays.
“I didn’t really know it was a movement,” Leahy said. “I just saw the woman in my local mom’s group and I’m like, ‘Wow, that’s definitely something that’s gonna be a need.'”
“I started asking around in my circle of people like, ‘Hey, do I know anyone that’s gonna be screwed because of the shutdown?’ And started getting responses back, but now I’m seeing that this is happening all over, which is really cool,” she said.
Grocery buddies are people who volunteer their money and time to help buy groceries and other essential household and personal items for their neighbors impacted by the halt in SNAP benefits.
Madisonville resident Rachel Hague said she felt compelled to be “grocery buddy,” because she and her husband, Brendan Hague, owner of Bee’s Barbecue, feel a strong connection and sense of responsibility for their community.
“Knowing that many of our neighbors are facing the loss of SNAP benefits, it felt like a tangible way to bridge a gap,” Hague said. “It’s rooted in a genuine desire to help, but I’d be lying if I didn’t admit it’s also about restoring my own sense of hope and faith in humanity. In a time when kindness can feel scarce, creating it directly feels like a necessary act.”
Grocery buddies are just one part of the fight against hunger
Through her organization, Leahy was able to pair Austin with her sponsor Evelyn Fisher, who donated an additional $100 worth of Visa gift cards to the cause.
Fisher also donates to the Freestore Foodbank and the Jewish Family Service’s food pantry, but said that she likes the personal connection she gets from being a “grocery buddy.”
“I like when it goes directly to one family that you feel like you can help,” she said.
As the need for food assistance grows, Dee Snyder, Northside resident and volunteer at Churches Active in Northside (CAIN), said it would be a “wonderful thing” if people with disposable income could help someone in need.
Before she saw the term “grocery buddy” online, Snyder had already sponsored an acquaintance who lost her SNAP benefits weeks before the official Nov. 1 cutoff.
For the past month, Snyder has purchased roughly $50 of groceries per week and hand-delivered them to the individual’s house since they’re unable to drive.
“Of course, not everybody who is able is going to be willing to do it,” Snyder said. “But I am willing and I am able. So, that’s the right thing to do in my mind.”
People are also receiving cleaning supplies, household products, hygiene and cosmetic items, and even pet food, many of which are not even covered under SNAP. Individuals are also sharing resources, advice and personal stories of struggle and resilience, which is creating a “space for vulnerability” at a very difficult time, Hague said.
“The most powerful feedback wasn’t just the words of encouragement, but the tangible actions people took to support one another,” Hague said.
How do ‘grocery buddies’ work?
Some individuals are simply finding people who need food assistance on social media and coordinating a day and time to go shopping together.
Others, like Hague, are obtaining shopping lists and ordering groceries that are delivered to a specified address.
“It’s a privilege to be able to help in this direct way and to make a new friend in the process,” Hague said.
Grocery buddies are people who volunteer their money and time to help buy groceries and other essential household and personal items for their neighbors impacted by the halt in SNAP benefits.
Leahy, on the other hand, is not actually acting as “grocery buddy” but has taken on the role of liaison through the Groceries Buddies organization.
Per the organization’s website, buddies are advised to spend roughly $50 per person when paired with an impacted household. Volunteers also have the option to shop and deliver supplies, meet up with their buddies in the store or donate via gift card.
“A few people offered to help behind the scenes, which I’m happy about,” she said. “I don’t want to make the decisions alone since it’s a community effort.”
How to help during SNAP benefit halt
If you are interested in donating, volunteering, or applying for assistance through Leahy’s Grocery Buddies program, you can send an email to [email protected]. You can also contact [email protected] or [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Everything to know about the ‘grocery buddy’ trend amid SNAP halt
