KSHB 41 reporter Megan Abundis covers Kansas City, Missouri, including neighborhoods in the southern part of the city. Share your story idea with Megan.
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Grocery shopping has become a calculated exercise for many families, with every item carefully planned and selected to stretch limited budgets.
For more than 700,000 Missouri families and thousands more in Kansas who rely on SNAP benefits, the average weekly allowance of $46 to $74 per person must cover all their food needs.
Tuesday, I went to a south KCMO grocery store to see what food I could buy for a week with a $46 to $74 budget.
A cart full of staples — produce, fresh fruit, dairy and a package of meat — represents what the average person on SNAP benefits can afford for an entire week. When I shopped with this budget, I spent $48, right in line with the national average.
The government shutdown will likely cause SNAP benefits to stop next month, so what happens when SNAP benefits disappear and the budget suddenly becomes zero?
I talked to a woman who keeps a sharp eye on what she's buying for her family.
"Typically, we try to stay under $100 to $150 at Aldi's, but it's hard to stretch that with a family of four," said shopper Alexis Whelan.
To help feed her family, Whelan supplements her grocery budget by visiting Coldwater, a food pantry in Lee's Summit.
"This food pantry is really important for my family," Whelan said.
The pantry provides essential items that would otherwise strain her budget.
"Chobani yogurt, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, meat, protein shakes," Whelan said, describing what she receives. "This takes off a good $75 to $80 a month. That's what we have to put back into our gas tank so we can go from A to B. It just takes some worry off our shoulders, especially because Christmas is 70-something days away."
Monte Stull, community director at Coldwater, understands how crucial this assistance is for families, especially those on government benefits.
"They are not getting a whole lot from SNAP, so they have to supplement, and I know what I give them every two weeks is not enough for a family of four," Stull said.
With the government shutdown threatening to halt SNAP benefits next month, Stull is preparing for a significant increase in demand.
"When they are not getting SNAP, they are going to have to find a food pantry to get their food," Stull said. "It does put a lot of stress on us as well, because we are trying to meet the needs of those folks."
The pantry is already busier as more people need help to feed their families. Last month, Coldwater served 480 families.
"This is the busiest we've ever been with the existence of the food pantry," Stull said.
Even before the potential SNAP disruption, the pantry was expecting an increased need during the holidays.
"Well, as we get closer to the holidays when money really gets tight, we were thinking 500 families," Stull said.
Now, with the possibility of increased food insecurity with no SNAP benefits, Coldwater is planning for even more families to seek help.
"How can I serve these people, and can I serve them all?" Stull said. "Much like all nonprofits, we are all struggling when it comes to government assistance. We are all doing our part to find where are those resources at, who can we rely on to give monetarily or food-wise?"
Stull is asking the community for support as food pantries try to fill the gap.
"If you find yourself that you are in a pretty good position, and you can give to those people who aren't, please, please find a pantry and donate to them," Stull said.
For more information on how to get involved or donate to Coldwater Food & Clothing Pantry, click here.
Feed Lee's Summit is also next month on Friday, Nov. 14.
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