{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Radio Chatskill","title":"Shutdown Ends but Food Insecurity Persists: A Single Bite Sees Demand Surge in Sullivan County","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":919,"description":"A Single Bite, the Sullivan County nonprofit focused on feeding families, says food insecurity has surged dramatically in recent months—even as federal SNAP benefits resume following the end of the government shutdown.Executive Director Audrey Garrow said the organization has seen demand double since early fall.“Since September, we were feeding 625 people, families out there in the community with prepared food,” Garrow said. “Today, 1,200 people. So that’s double.”Garrow said some of the increase is due to heightened public awareness during the SNAP crisis, but the underlying need runs much deeper. “These individuals are not going to call us tomorrow and say, ‘I have my SNAP benefits back. I don’t want your healthy prepared food anymore,’” she said. “My kids are still getting enough nutrition. That’s just not going to happen.”She noted that even families with restored benefits remain behind on basic expenses. “They’ve already spent their rent money on food or their medicine money on food because kids and people need to eat every day,” she said.Sam Buniga, who delivers meals across the county, said those realities are clear on the ground.“I have a family that’s been in temporary housing for quite a while,” he said. “The place has now been condemned… but she has a stove for the first time. She told me she hasn’t cooked a baked potato in years and she was so excited to have a potato and to have real food.”A Single Bite provides prepared meals three days a week, delivered by volunteers from Long Eddy to Wurtsboro. Garrow said the ready-to-eat meals remain vital for families who lack time, transportation, kitchen facilities, or the ability to prepare bulk food from pantries.“During COVID, we learned that families struggle with time, working two jobs,” she said. “Do they have enough energy to have a propane stove? Is their stove working? There are many, many families living in temporary housing in this community.”Both Garrow and Buniga said the return of SNAP benefits...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/q7XXsnSXT_u4mZLCn3chUorwDmUD_kWiB272D6emB18/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80N2Uy/OGY5MWUwZThkYTEw/NDVkZGM2ZGZkZDIw/ZjliOS5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}