Student Food Pantries Step in Where SNAP Falls Short - American Fork Citizen

Student food pantries step in where SNAP falls short

Megan Wallgren | Lehi Free Press When the recent government shutdown temporarily halted SNAP benefits, families in Alpine School District, where more than one in five students relies on free or reduced-price meals, felt the squeeze.In a district where so many students rely on subsidized meals during the school day, losing supplemental food assistance at home intensified food insecurity almost overnight. With 17,455 students qualifying for assist…

Student food pantries step in where SNAP falls short - American Fork Citizen

Megan Wallgren | American Fork Citizen When the recent government shutdown temporarily halted SNAP benefits, families in Alpine School District, where more than one in five students relies on free or reduced-price meals, felt the squeeze.In a district where so many students rely on subsidized meals during the school day, losing supplemental food assistance at home intensified food insecurity almost overnight. With 17,455 students qualifying for …

Area food pantries witness intense need

Families across the country are currently struggling to make ends meet. Due to rising grocery costs and a lengthy government shutdown, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford nutritious food, was paused as of Nov. 1, 2025.