St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Devils Lake is located at the corner of 6th Street and 6th Avenue NE. (Photo by Louise Oleson, DLJ)
On Wednesday, Oct. 29, Our Saviors Lutheran Church held a Trick-Or-Treat event where kids from their Sunday School program went door-to-door to ask for food items to donate to the Hope Center, which has its own food drive tentatively scheduled for mid-November. St. Olaf’s Lutheran Church also has an ongoing food drive.
Hope Center Board President Nancy Johnson prays that the pause of SNAP benefits will be very short. “We are prepared with more food than we’ve had in a while and that’s always a secure feeling for us,” she said. “We’re not going to adjust anything just yet. We’re going to serve people just as we have. … I think we’re going to be comfortable for a period of time. Hopefully, Congress and everyone can pull it together to a point where some of those important programs can be reinstated.”
According to information from the website for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), as of August of this year, a rough estimate of North Dakota residents relying on SNAP benefits in May was at 57,129, up from 56,870 in April and significantly higher than May of 2024, when it was at 50,220.
In response to the program’s pause, Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced in a press release on Thursday, Oct. 30 that he is directing more than $1.5 million in state funds to support other food assistance programs during the ongoing federal government shutdown, while also urging North Dakota residents to consider donating food or money to their local food pantries to help meet the needs of those losing federal food assistance.
“The state of North Dakota has the responsibility and the resources to care for its citizens who face a sudden loss of federal food assistance through no fault of their own,” Armstrong said. “Through a combination of state contingency funds and private donations, North Dakota can help meet the nutritional needs of our children and families until Congress passes a temporary funding bill to reopen the federal government. We strongly encourage residents to open their hearts, wallets and food pantries to support their local food banks with cash or food donations and help their fellow North Dakotans in their time of need.”
Armstrong has directed the state Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide $915,000 in contingency funds to the Great Plains Food Bank, which supplies food and supports a network of nearly 200 partner food pantries, shelters and soup kitchens across the state.
As the governor made an appearance at Spirit Lake Reservation one day prior to his announcement of support for various food assistance programs, the tribe commended his actions with the following statement, “In the wake of Governor Kelly Armstrong’s recent visit to the Spirit Lake Nation, the Tribe expresses gratitude for the state’s commitment to alleviating food insecurity caused by the ongoing federal government shutdown. The Governor’s announcement, made just one day after the visit, is a testament to the importance of collaboration between the Tribe and the State of North Dakota.”
The Great Plains Food Bank (GPFB) said in a press release issued on Oct. 27 that they have launched an emergency fundraising campaign to help ensure that families across North Dakota and Clay County, MN, didn’t go hungry. Their goal is to raise the funds needed to source and distribute an additional one million pounds of food to meet the surge in demand expected in the weeks ahead.
“While the full impact of the shutdown is still unfolding, we know hunger doesn’t wait so we’re mobilizing early,” said GPFB Interim CEO and Chief Operating Officer Kate Molbert. “We’re preparing now for an increase in neighbors turning to us for help, including families who rely on SNAP to feed their children, federal employees missing paychecks, seniors on fixed incomes, and others whose budgets are already stretched thin.”
“This allocation of state funds entrusted to our organization will help thousands of North Dakotans keep food on their tables,” Molbert added. “We appreciate Gov. Armstrong directing these state resources to equip the Great Plains Food Bank in our mission, and we’re thankful for everyone donating food and dollars to ensure that North Dakotans don’t go hungry during this government shutdown today or in the weeks and months ahead.”
Responding to the shutdown and its potential impact on essential federal programs even earlier, the Spirit Lake Tribal Council declared a state of emergency on Oct. 21 for food and heating assistance within the Spirit Lake Reservation. The Spirit Lake Food Distribution Program has already reported an increase in families seeking assistance since the start of the current fiscal year.
Armstrong has also directed HHS to use contingency funds to support the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program through the month of November, at an estimated cost of roughly $600,000. Administered by the state, WIC protects the health of low-income women, infants and children up to age 5 by providing supplemental foods, nutrition education and health care referrals. Federal WIC funding for North Dakota is currently expected to run out around Nov. 10.
“Setting up children for success in life begins with proper nutrition at the earliest ages, and the state is pleased to do our part to ensure that infants, toddlers and their mothers have access to healthy food and helpful nutrition education and health care resources,” HHS Interim Commissioner Pat Traynor said.
GPFB has already begun ramping up food sourcing, prioritizing most requested foods like fruits, vegetables, and proteins, and expanding mobile food pantry and pop-up distributions in areas hardest hit, including communities with high numbers of federal employees, veterans, and working families living paycheck to paycheck. “Our network of 196 partner food pantries, shelters, and meal programs are already serving record numbers of people,” Molbert said. “Without federal nutrition programs like SNAP functioning, it’s impossible for food banks alone to fill that gap. Our role is to make sure no one faces hunger alone. We will stretch resources as far as possible, get food where it’s needed most, and make sure every family living in rural communities, urban centers, and on tribal lands are treated with dignity and compassion.”
The Great Plains Food Bank is also coordinating closely with state and local partners to monitor the situation and ensure food access remains consistent for all who need it.
“This is a moment for our community to stand together,” said Molbert. “Every dollar, every donated food item, every helping hand makes a real difference. When we act quickly and compassionately, we can make sure our neighbors don’t have to choose between paying for medicine, rent, or heat, and putting food on the table.”
