GREENFIELD, MA (FRANKLIN COUNTY NOW) — The Center for Self-Reliance is preparing for heavily increased community needs at the food pantries as thousands in Franklin and Hampshire counties are set to lose SNAP benefits as soon as next week.

They are calling for increased support to meet the expected needs by donating funds, volunteering at the food pantry in Greenfield, spread awareness about resources, and call on elected officials to protect SNAP funding.

From the Center for Self-Reliance:

Center for Self-Reliance Braces for Impact as SNAP Benefits Face Freeze, Federal Funding Threatened

GREENFIELD, MA – October 24, 2025 – As Governor Maura Healey calls on the Trump administration to unfreeze SNAP benefits, Community Action Pioneer Valley’s Center for Self-Reliance food pantries in Greenfield and Shelburne Falls are preparing for an unprecedented surge in need while facing their own funding crisis.

More than 1.1 million Massachusetts residents—including thousands in Franklin & Hampshire Counties— are set to lose their SNAP benefits as early as next week. Simultaneously, the Trump administration is targeting Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding for elimination, threatening the very resources that allow the Center for Self-Reliance to operate.

“We’re facing a perfect storm,” said Frances Hall, Director of Community Services at Community Action Pioneer Valley. “Demand at our food pantries is already high, having increased 30% over the past three years. We will see an explosion of need for food and other basic need items if people can’t use SNAP.”

A Lifeline for Thousands

In the most recent program year, the Center for Self-Reliance provided free, nutritious food to 3,341 neighbors across Franklin County, distributing 184 tons of food—the equivalent of 25 meals per person. The food pantries served an average of 1,400 people per month, with over one-quarter (27%) of those served being children.

Unlike some food pantry distributions, the Center for Self-Reliance operates as a client choice food pantry open four days a week, allowing shoppers to select their own groceries, produce, and frozen meat. Forty percent of all food distributed is fresh produce.

“Dignity starts at the front door,” Cheo Ramos, CSR Program Coordinator notes. “When people can shop for what they want and need, rather than receiving a pre-packed bag, it honors their autonomy and ensures food doesn’t go to waste.”

The CAPV food pantries serve a diverse community, with staff speaking Spanish, English, Portuguese, Russian, and Moldovan to better connect with participants. A team of 25 volunteers donated 2,972 hours of time last year, helping make the program possible.

Unprecedented Efficiency Under Threat

The Center for Self-Reliance’s partnership with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts and other suppliers allows them to stretch every donated dollar remarkably far. For just one dollar, the pantry can provide 15 ounces of canned green beans, 5.6 ounces of Spanish rice, 5.6 ounces of stroganoff dinner, one pound of meat, and 6.25 ounces of chicken flavored rice.

“For every dollar you give me, I can turn it into three,” Ramos explains when working with community donors.

But this efficiency depends on CSBG funding, which covers essential operating costs including staff, facilities, and the infrastructure that makes bulk purchasing and food distribution possible.

The Human Impact

One food pantry participant shared: “I appreciate the variety of food that’s been available this year, and also the hygiene items. Getting soap or toothpaste from the pantry has really helped my budget.”

These are the stories behind the statistics—families stretching every dollar, seniors choosing between medication and meals, and parents trying to feed their children. If SNAP benefits freeze and CSBG funding is eliminated, the Center for Self-Reliance will face an impossible situation: serving dramatically more people with dramatically fewer resources.

Community Response Needed Now

“We cannot wait for Washington, D.C.,” Jessica Thompson, Director of Community Engagement emphasized. “We’re looking to our neighbors to step up right now—before the crisis hits, not after.”

The Center for Self-Reliance is calling on community members to:

• Donate funds at www.communityaction.us/giving which can be stretched further than food donations
• Volunteer time at the Greenfield location to help with food distribution and/or making deliveries
• Spread awareness about the crisis facing food security programs
• Contact elected officials to protect release SNAP benefits and protect CSBG funding

About Community Action Pioneer Valley

Community Action Pioneer Valley serves Franklin and Hampshire Counties through programs that help families achieve self-reliance, serving 28,000 people navigating poverty annually. CAPV’s 40 programs help ensure that our neighbors with low incomes are fed, warm, supported, and connected. The Center for Self-Reliance operates food pantries in Greenfield and Shelburne Falls, providing critical food assistance while maintaining dignity and client choice