Full Pantries, Full Plates: Lansing Neighbors Fill Community Shelves as SNAP Cuts Leave MI-07 Families Coming Up Short

On Friday, Michigan Families for Fair Care and Punks With Lunch Lansing hosted “Full Pantries, Full Plates,” a community food drive in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. Community members dropped off non-perishable food, baby formula, and spices, and families who needed a hand were welcome to pick up donated items to stock their own shelves. Leftover donations went to Punks With Lunch to keep helping families through the season.

Food pantries across Mid-Michigan are seeing more need this fall. The Republican Tax Law, which cut SNAP at a time when food costs are at record highs, and tariffs on food are making it even harder for families to keep up.  Across the state, 1.5 million Michiganders rely on SNAP, and over 40% of those households have kids. As the weather turns cold, families are squeezed between grocery bills and heating costs, and neighbors who once counted on food assistance are turning to community drives like this one to get through the month. Congressman Tom Barrett of Lansing voted for the SNAP cuts and tariffs. 

“I’m on a fixed income, and every month my check stays the same while the price of groceries keeps going up. I’ve had to start choosing which items I can do without, and I know a lot of my neighbors are doing the same. Our people need all the food assistance we can get, families keep losing and we are running out of options for how to maintain our standard of living.” said Diane, MI-07 resident. 

The drive reflected a community-wide effort to step up where elected officials have fallen short. Michigan Families for Fair Care will continue to inform citizens about the food assistance families have lost due to the Republican Tax Law and the tariffs that are raising costs for families across the 7th District.