(Photo by: Cyrus Moffett)

Have you ever heard of SNAP, or more commonly, food stamps? If not, SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, “provides nutrition assistance to eligible, low-income individuals and households via a monthly benefit,” according to USDA.

As of early November, “millions of Americans are living in fear that they will go hungry due to potential delays in SNAP food assistance benefit payments,” says CNBC, as a result of the government shutdown.

This has been the longest government shutdown, but as of Nov. 10, the Senate passed a bill to fund the government, ending the shutdown. It will also fund SNAP through September, according to CNBC.

As a result of the pause on SNAP benefits, the Student Basic Needs Center (SBNC) can use the food pantry on campus.

“They can visit the food pantry once a week and get up to 15 items (five nonperishable items, five cold items, and five personal care items),” said Student Basic Needs Center Coordinator Robert Miller.  “There is also food access support in the Kansas City metro area. We have information about the food access support that we can share with students.”

JCCC’s SBNC “provides food resources for students facing food insecurity. As food insecurity surges across the United States, more colleges and universities are stepping up to help students who need food assistance,” according to a JCCC press release.

Miller said these food insecurities can significantly affect how well a student succeeds academically.

“It may lead to difficulty concentrating in class, challenges with studying and completing assignments. It can also, unfortunately, contribute to feelings of depression, shame, or embarrassment,” Miller said.

The SBNC offers a variety of programs for any students who are eligible, like the Cav Cupboard and the Cavalier MealSHARE program.

Cav Cupboard is SBNC’s food and resource pantry previously mentioned by Miller, and the Cavalier MealSHARE program is when “qualified students receive funds for food loaded directly onto their JCCC ID card so they can purchase a meal at any Dining Services location or vending machine on campus,” according to the press release.

If you are in the position to do so, you can give back to the SBNC and even buy things off their Amazon wishlist.

“The most needed items are period products, diapers, baby wipes and shelf-stable grocery items like rice, pasta and canned goods. The Student Basic Needs Center is also currently collecting donations for the annual Holiday Food Drive through Dec. 22,” according to the Press Release.

You can bring any donations to the SBNC located in GEB during their office hours, which are Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Any donations outside of those times can be left in the bin outside. To learn more about how to support students in need or apply for any of SBNC’s benefits, visit the Student Basic Needs Center tab on the JCCC website.