Due to the ongoing federal shutdown, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has had its funding cut, leaving millions of vulnerable Americans without access to groceries.
Amid the government impasse, a local grassroots organization has created an interactive map of nearly 100 food pantries and soup kitchens in the Detroit area.
The map was created by a group called Macomb Defenders Rising (MDR), a chapter of the national progressive Indivisible organization.
The map can be found at macombdefenders.com/food-resources.
In a statement, MDR co-founder Katrina Manetta blamed the funding cuts on Republicans.
“Let’s be clear about how we got here,” Manetta said. “This shutdown was engineered by House Republicans playing politics with people’s lives — trying to gut health-care protections and send prices through the roof. When the Trump administration refused to fund SNAP for November, it took a federal court order to force their hand. Families shouldn’t have to rely on judges to eat.”
She added, “We built this map because government cruelty shouldn’t leave people in the dark. If a parent needs groceries tonight, they can head to our website, find a pantry, and get assistance in seconds. This is what community looks like when Washington fails us — neighbors rising to feed neighbors.”
MDR says it will update the listings and welcomes community submissions.
After SNAP funding expired on Nov. 1, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to use a contingency fund to keep the program running, but recipients are expected to receive half their usual benefit. Some 42 million Americans rely on the program for food.