When the System Shuts Down: How SNAP Cuts and Furloughs Are Affecting Food Access Locally

2025- October: Food for Good Blog Post

How the Government Shutdown Impacts Food Security — and How the Community Responds

When the government shuts down, it doesn’t just close offices — it stops paychecks, stalls benefits, and leaves millions of families uncertain about how they’ll afford groceries. For some federal workers, this may be the first time they’ve faced that kind of uncertainty. For many others, it’s the reality they’ve quietly managed for years.

At Porchlight, we see both. Some folks walk through our doors for the first time after missing a paycheck or waiting on delayed SNAP benefits. Others have been navigating this fragile system for much longer. No one should have to prove they “need” food — everyone deserves access to it.

From the start, Porchlight was built to challenge a system that clearly doesn’t work for everyone. We’ve always operated as an affordable grocery program, designed to make good food accessible to families who often fall through the cracks — those who don’t qualify for assistance like SNAP but still struggle to keep nutritious food on the table.

We built a model that sustains itself through community. The same folks who shop with us help keep the doors open for others. Each week, we fundraise around $4,500–$5,000 to cover rent, utilities, food purchases, and the basics that keep our pantry running.

On average, about 100 people contribute financially, yet together we support more than 500 families — including two school pantries, two senior mobile home communities, and several mutual aid partners.

If it weren’t for the few grants we’ve received, those numbers wouldn’t add up. The reality is: small organizations like ours don’t get the same support as big food banks. The funding doesn’t trickle down far enough to reach us, even though we’re doing the hands-on work every week.

We’re not part of the two major food bank networks in San Diego, which means we have to source differently — often buying food by the pallet at discounted rates, balancing cost, food safety, refrigeration, and variety to meet everyone’s needs.

On a good day, there are two or three of us juggling everything from food pickups and events to website updates, accounting, and paperwork. That’s why we ask that you please go through the website and follow up by email — not because we don’t care, but because we don’t have enough administrative help to keep up with it all.

Porchlight runs on people power — just a few of us behind the scenes trying to keep things moving. While we can’t follow up with everyone who applies, you’re always welcome to check in — or better yet, stop by and see if, with your help, we can work through the backlog together.

Sometimes the best way to make things happen is to show up and be part of it. That’s how community works.

How You Can Help Right Now

When the safety net falters — during a government shutdown, a furlough, or cuts to SNAP benefits... the community steps in. You can be part of that:

Make a financial contribution. 

Every dollar helps us buy in bulk, cover food safety costs, and keep our refrigerators running.

Donate Financially

 Host a food drive 

Rally your workplace, neighborhood, or school to help stock our shelves.

Donate Food / Host Food Drive

 Volunteer your time 

From sorting rescued food, helping with administrative tasks, to helping at events, your hands keep Porchlight shining.

Volunteer

Who are you supporting with your donations?

This isn’t about charity — it’s about solidarity. Whether you’re new to this kind of uncertainty or you’ve faced it before, Porchlight is here as a reminder that community care always carries us further than any system can.

In Solidarity.