CINCINNATI — The government has been shut down for nearly a week, with no signs of a deal for a spending bill to reopen the government.
If the shutdown continues, lawmakers expect a federal nutritional program for children known as the Women, Infants and Children program, to run out of money as soon as this week. Now, some food pantries, like the Freestore Foodbank, have no choice but to make contingency plans.
On a Monday afternoon in Over-the-Rhine, the demand is apparent for the thousands of low-income families who rely on the Freestore Foodbank.
"75 percent of the families that we're serving are working, they're just not making enough money to make ends meet," said Kurt Reiber, President and CEO of the Freestore Foodbank.
Reiber told us last Tuesday, they saw more than 500 families come through the Bea Taylor Market in one day.
WATCH: Reiber talks about the impact the government shutdown has had on food pantries
On Monday, the store is closed, but you can see some shelves with nothing on them. Meanwhile, at its Liberty Street market, there were around 300 families coming in to shop. The food bank used to serve around 250,000 people on average. Reiber told us that number is now closer to 275,000.
"These are families that are struggling to make ends meet and provide for their families," Reiber said. "So when you think about the continued inflationary pressures that we're all experiencing, if you look at the fact that folks might see a reduction in their pay because of being furloughed or laid off, that's going to be a challenge for everybody."
WIC helps more than 6 million women and children with food and breastfeeding support. The National WIC Association said if the government doesn't pass a spending bill within the next two weeks, that money will likely run out.
"For really young children whose sole source of nutrition may be infant formula, the loss of WIC would be absolutely devastating. Families don't have other options," said Nell Menefee-Libery, National WIC Association Senior Public Policy Manager.
We spoke with several people who were shopping Monday at the Liberty Street market. Many talked about being on a limited income and struggling to feed their families. They said the thought of them losing any of their safety net over this government shutdown is something that keeps them up at night.
SNAP benefits went out in October for the 42 million Americans who rely on them. But if the government is still closed on Nov. 1, that benefit may also be at risk.
"We can weather this storm, but it takes the entire community to rally behind us," Reiber said.
