CLEVELAND — People in Northeast Ohio are preparing to help fill the gap in anticipation of a halt in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits when federal funding ends on Nov. 1 amid the ongoing government shutdown.
That includes Laura’s Home on Cleveland’s west side. It is one of the few places in Cleveland for women and children in crisis and experiencing homelessness.
However, as we’ve reported before, Laura’s Home has been at capacity for years.
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On Thursday, the Laura’s Home team started packing food bags for families on the waitlist.
Linda Uveges, CEO of The City Mission, says there are currently more than 300 women and children on the waitlist. She said that breaks down to about 87 women with children, 85 looking for single placement, and includes about 200 children.
She said the team is in constant contact with women on the waitlist, and on Wednesday, asked who would be interested in a food bag.
“We sent a text out to these women, and within less than 30 minutes, we received a request of 238 bagged lunches,” said Uveges.
She said it reflects the incredible need.
She said many of these women are already in a precarious position with uncertain housing, and the potential of losing SNAP benefits is an upsetting added disruption.
"We’re grateful that we can do that, and we’ll start the bagged lunch drop-off or distribution on Saturday,” said Uveges.
She said they went out and bought the additional food themselves and plan to continue to offer the support to the waitlist families as needed.
