KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Missouri, restaurant owner is stepping up to help families in need after the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was halted due to the government shutdown.
Teresa Grado, owner of Lilly's Cantina, announced that as of Nov. 1, kids eat free at her restaurant. The program helps families who rely on SNAP, which assists one in eight Americans with buying groceries.
"If we have a line all day, so be it. I'll be ok, we'll make it," Grado said.
Grado has been preparing for the increased demand, arriving at her restaurant at 6 a.m. to get ready for the day.
"We're very prepared," Grado said. "I have so much ready to go. So, we're prepared, we just need people to come."
The free meal initiative is simple and accessible to any child in need.
"You don't have to have a parent," Grado said. "You can eat here once a day. You get a full meal, a complete meal. Today we're having flautas, chicken flautas, and rice with sour cream and your salsa, and you just get it to go and your drink."
Grado named her restaurant after her mother, who she says instilled in her the value of giving back. Her motivation to help comes from personal experience with food insecurity.
"I was sad," Grado said. "There was a time when I had to use SNAP. So, I know what that's like."
Lilly's Cantina is open Thursday through Saturday as well as Tuesday. After announcing the program earlier this week, Grado has received thousands of dollars in donations, allowing her to expand her help to parents as well.
"The parents are hungry; we're going to feed them too," Grado said. "Because trust me, I went to sleep hungry before, and I know what that feels like. It's the ugliest feeling to watch your kids eat and you can't because you don't have any money."
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