Meeting the Moment: Students Step up Amid SNAP Cuts

Across the United States, families are feeling the impact of the recent SNAP benefit interruptions. As reported by national news outlets, the shutdown left millions of people unsure how they would feed their families and created a surge in demand at food banks and pantries from Detroit to Bridgeport to Boston.

At buildOn, our students see this crisis up close. And instead of turning away, they’re stepping forward and serving their neighbors with urgency, empathy, and leadership.

“My community went into a rampage.”

In Detroit, buildOn students have been serving at Cass Community Social Services, preparing more than 130 sandwiches for families experiencing hunger.

For Tylee Frazier, a sophomore at East English Village Preparatory Academy, the SNAP cuts hit home:

“When they stopped giving us stamps for our food benefits, people in my community went into a rampage. Mothers went into a spiral because their jobs weren’t paying them enough to keep up their houses and feed their kids at the same time.”

“It also affected me,” she adds. “My mom uses her stamp card to feed all seven of us, plus my great-grandma and grandma.”

Even while facing her own family’s struggles, Tylee shows up to serve:

“We come out and volunteer because we actually like doing it. It’s fun and it also makes a big impact. I know that some people out here haven’t eaten in days.”

“I know that some people out here haven’t eaten in days.” —Tylee Frazier

Seeing Hunger Up Close and Finding Hope

At Forgotten Harvest in Detroit, students collected and sorted surplus food for families facing shortages.

Paty Garcia, a senior at Western International High School, reflects:

“I see a lot more poverty than gets spoken about. A lot of people face food insecurity. You should be able to have food and not feel like you’re at war for it.”

Before I joined buildOn, I didn’t know what was going on around me,” she says. “Now I have more of an idea of what’s happening in my community and it makes me feel better to know that I’m helping somebody.”

For Vanessa Roberson, a junior at King High School, serving sparked lifelong commitment:

“I used to think issues like hunger and poverty didn’t have anything to do with me. But the more I volunteer, I realize how close that stuff is to me and how it really impacts my own community. With SNAP benefits being cut off, a lot of my friends and family have been negatively affected.” 

“It’s good to be part of the solution because it makes me feel like I’m not just sitting behind a screen complaining and watching the world go by,” she continues. “I’m actually out here making a difference. I definitely am going to volunteer throughout my entire life.”

Bridgeport Students See Demand Soaring

At the PCI Food Pantry in Bridgeport, students have watched the need grow every week.

Ryshaun Anderson, a senior at Harding High School, sees the urgency:

“I’ve seen a lot of people tend to act out because of this. People get more aggressive because they’re more frustrated because they can’t feed their families or can’t even feed themselves. My mom used food stamps in the past, and our other family members too. I feel scared to see what the future could be like without food stamps.”

Serving with buildOn, he says, “means I’m a ray of hope to the people in my community.”

“To me, being a volunteer is being the hope that the community needs. When we go to service not only do we show what buildOn is about, but we show the community that it deserves the effort that we put in.”

“Seeing other people smile doesn’t just bring me happiness,” he adds. “It makes me feel like I have a purpose within my community.”

buildOn in Bridgeport Engagement Specialist Sebastian Arbelaez sees student leadership rising:

“Students are the first ones affected, but they’re also the first ones to line up and do the work. They want to do more for their community”

“Students are the first ones affected, but they’re also the first ones to line up and do the work.” —Sebastian Arbelaez

Pulling Together

Across Bridgeport, staff are helping students find resources and stay supported emotionally and materially.

Sebastian explains:

“We connect them, whether it be with food pantries, other outlets like educational centers, anything like that. We take them ourselves and see if we can connect them with resources.”

At Bridgeport Military Academy, Engagement Specialist Cedric Perkins, Jr. sees hope:

“Something that gives me hope is the students coming together during this time. I see kids building a bigger sense of community nowadays and camaraderie and that’s just becoming more rare nowadays.”

Boston Students Show Up to Serve and Lead

In Boston, the Allston/Brighton Food Pantry has seen record need.

Engagement Specialist Ariana Angus explains:

“Throughout November, due to the SNAP benefit cuts and delays, our theme and focus has been food security and we’ve been going to the pantry twice a week.”

And their assistance has been essential: “The need at this pantry has been extremely high. Every single visit, we’ve served over 200 community members.”

“Not only are the students working hard, but they’re really stepping into leadership,” she adds. “I’m really proud of how dependable the students have been.”

Why This Matters

The SNAP cuts hit hardest in the neighborhoods where our students live and serve. But instead of feeling helpless, buildOn students are choosing service. They’re making sandwiches, sorting food donations, greeting families, lifting spirits, and learning that their leadership matters.

Service builds leaders. And in this moment, leadership is needed more than ever.

How You Can Help in Your Community

You don’t need to live in a buildOn city to make a difference. Here’s how you can support families facing food insecurity where you are:

1. Volunteer at a local food bank or pantry.

Look for organizations that need help with sorting, packing, distribution, or deliveries.

2. Donate food, hygiene items, or household essentials.

SNAP cuts mean families need more than food. Items like soap, diapers, shampoo, and period products are in high demand.

3. Support organizations doing the work every day.

Whether through donations or volunteering, consistency matters.

4. Stay informed and share reliable information.

The more people understand what SNAP cuts mean in real life, the more support food banks receive.

5. Ask local leaders how you can help.

Community-based solutions are strongest when neighbors work together.

During such a difficult time, we’re inspired by our students to dig deeper and work even harder to support our neighbors. Because community is what buildOn is all about.

Want to help support our U.S. programs during this crucial time? Consider making a tax-deductible donation today.