PAHOKEE, Fla. — A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits, but Florida families may wait weeks for relief as food pantries struggle to meet surging demand.
Food ran out 30 minutes early at a Pahokee distribution center this week, highlighting the growing crisis facing Florida families still waiting for their November SNAP benefits seven days after they were supposed to arrive.
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The emergency food drive at United Missionary Baptist Church was scheduled to run until noon but exhausted supplies by 11:30 a.m., as long lines of residents sought help during the federal benefit delay.
"It's gonna be hard now," said Bobby Lewin, one of nearly 52% of Glades community residents who rely on SNAP benefits. "When I run out of food, that's it for right now."
The situation is even more dire in Fort Pierce, where 52.2% of people living in a two-square-mile area in the central part of the city depend on SNAP benefits to feed their families.
Katheryin Acluthe worries about children in her neighborhood going hungry during the delay.
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"My heart just poured out right now, just even think about it. Not only myself. My grand[kids], other people's kids, their grandkids," Acluthe said.
McKinley Parker fears the benefit delays could lead to desperation and crime in his community.
"You're gonna have a whole lot of hungry people around here," Parker said. "They're stealing cause they're hungry, because the government ain't giving up no money."
The timeline for when Florida residents will receive their benefits remains unclear.
While other states estimate it will take one to three weeks for recipients to get their money, Florida officials have not provided a specific timeline for benefit distribution.
Houston Tate from the Palm Beach County Office of Community Relations said food giveaways have become more critical as SNAP beneficiaries wait for their benefits.
"What we do here is to supplement," Tate said. "We served approximately 420 people today. So when you look at the impact of this event, that's how critical it is."
Despite multiple food drives planned throughout the region, organizers acknowledge that emergency distributions cannot fully replace the loss of SNAP benefits for struggling families.
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