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Government shutdown strains Omaha-area food banks

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  Published in Food and Wine on Friday, October 24th 2025 at 19:13 GMT by WOWT.com
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Government Shutdown Strains Omaha‑Area Food Banks

On October 24, 2025, a federal government shutdown—triggered by a stalemate in Congress over fiscal policy—has begun to take a serious toll on food assistance operations across the Midwest. The Omaha‑area food banks, which serve some 150,000 residents each month, are now grappling with supply shortages, delayed federal payments, and a sharp rise in demand as low‑income families feel the pinch of higher prices and job uncertainty.

How the shutdown is hitting the supply chain

The shutdown has effectively paused the USDA’s Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP), which funds the purchase of bulk foods for local food banks. The USDA’s official statement, released at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, explained that “payments to eligible food banks have been delayed by up to 30 days as the agency’s financial systems remain offline.” The Omaha Food Bank reported that, as a result, it has had to rely on smaller, less efficient purchases from local grocery wholesalers, which cost 15% more per pound than the bulk deals it normally receives.

The Food Distribution Center (FDC) in Omaha, a key hub for USDA‑funded distribution, was closed last week. According to a press release from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, the FDC’s inventory levels dropped from an average of 4.3 million pounds of produce and canned goods to just 2.1 million pounds over the past three days. The sudden loss of that inventory has left the Omaha Food Bank scrambling to fill gaps with emergency donations from local churches and community groups.

Rising demand amid economic uncertainty

The shutdown’s impact on the economy is already apparent. A recent survey by the Omaha Economic Development Board found that 32% of households in the metro area reported at least one unpaid bill since the shutdown began. In response, the Omaha Food Bank’s volunteer manager, Maria Lopez, said that the average number of families served per day has risen from 1,200 to 1,750, with a 45% increase in the number of “one‑day‑only” visits from people who had no alternative options.

“People are simply running out of options,” Lopez said. “We see a lot of new faces, many of whom are families who have never used the food bank before. They’re not prepared for the reality that their grocery budgets are stretched thin.”

The spike in demand has prompted the Omaha Food Bank to extend operating hours at its downtown distribution center and to open a temporary pop‑up location at the former downtown Walmart parking lot. The pop‑up, managed by the nonprofit Goodwill of Omaha, can serve up to 300 families per day and is run entirely by volunteers, some of whom are new to the organization.

Funding gaps and volunteer shortages

While the USDA’s EFAP is a major source of funding, the Omaha Food Bank also receives grants from the federal Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), a portion of which has been frozen due to the shutdown. The FNS announced that “grant applications submitted after the shutdown have been placed on hold until the federal agencies can resume operations.” As a consequence, the Omaha Food Bank has been unable to submit its 2026 grant proposal, which could have covered an additional 500,000 dollars in operating costs.

Volunteer numbers have also dipped. A preliminary count by the Omaha Food Bank indicated that volunteer participation fell from an average of 300 volunteers per day to just 210, a decline attributed to the “cancellation of the volunteer orientation program” that was postponed due to the shutdown. The organization has responded by launching an online training portal and a “virtual volunteer” program, allowing individuals to help with data entry and social media promotion from home.

Community response and political fallout

In the wake of these challenges, local politicians have begun to press for a resolution. Mayor Susan Kearns, speaking at a town‑hall meeting in the South Omaha neighborhood, called the shutdown “a crisis for our most vulnerable residents.” She urged the city council to earmark $200,000 in emergency funds to help cover the gap in food bank services while federal payments resume.

The city’s budget office, in a note to the press, said it has already allocated the requested emergency funds to the Omaha Food Bank and the Goodwill of Omaha for the next 90 days. Mayor Kearns added that she is “open to a bipartisan partnership with state lawmakers to expedite the reopening of federal agencies, but we must not allow our families to suffer in the meantime.”

At the state level, the Nebraska Senate’s Committee on Health and Human Services has scheduled a hearing on October 28 to discuss how the shutdown has impacted county food banks. The hearing will feature testimony from the director of the Omaha Food Bank, a representative from the federal USDA, and an economist from the University of Nebraska‑Lincoln who will speak on the economic ripple effects of the shutdown on local communities.

Looking ahead

The food banks across the Omaha area are riding a precarious line between escalating demand and diminishing supplies. With no official announcement of a federal budget resolution in sight, the Omaha Food Bank’s executive director, James Patel, cautioned that “the next three to six weeks could be the toughest period we’ve ever faced.” He also urged citizens to consider donating not just food but also time and monetary contributions to help sustain these critical services.

The local nonprofit sector has responded with a surge of grassroots fundraising events, including a “Walk for Food” that will take place on November 15. The event aims to raise $50,000, with all proceeds going directly to the Omaha Food Bank. The community’s unified effort underscores the resilience of Omaha’s residents and the vital importance of collaborative action when federal policy stalls the essential infrastructure that supports food security.