Weeks prior, the Urbandale Food Pantry in Polk County, Iowa, began distributing turkeys alongside their usual Thanksgiving side dishes. The need proved exceptionally high; with more than 2,000 families arriving this month alone, the pantry exhausted its entire supply of essential Thanksgiving items.
Fortunately, the pantry remained able to continue providing holiday provisions thanks to securing supplementary funds, including contributions from local residents.
However, the elevated need observed in Urbandale reflects a broader trend across numerous food assistance programs this year: increased reliance on services, driven by the financial strain high costs place on American households and the lingering effects of the halt in SNAP benefits caused by the government shutdown earlier in the year.
Food banks are confronting a ‘worst-case scenario’ as demand skyrockets while the shutdown continues to affect operations.
Area Food Bank distribution center in Hyattsville, Maryland, on October 28, 2025.
Patty Sneddon-Kisting, the pantry’s CEO and sole full-time staff member, remarked to CNN, “This month is unlike anything we’ve ever witnessed.”
For many Americans during this holiday period, rising food costs have been a major source of anxiety. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that between January and September, grocery prices climbed by 1.4%, with overall US consumer prices showing an average annual increase of 1.7%.
Yet, this modest inflation figure compounds years of substantially higher rates, which included a peak annual inflation rate of 9.1% post-pandemic—a multi-decade high. These cumulative price hikes have created significant difficulties for many Americans attempting to maintain their living standards.
Furthermore, the six-week government shutdown earlier this year, which paused full SNAP benefits, pushed numerous Americans to the brink. During that period, online searches for “food banks near me” reached unprecedented levels.
Concurrently, wage increases for many workers have failed to keep pace with the economic gains realized by those at the higher end of the income spectrum. While wealthier Americans have benefited from stock market increases and escalating property values, the number of households relying on SNAP has actually increased since 2023, according to the Pew Research Center.
Michael Flood, executive director of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, explained to CNN, “When food costs are rising but household monthly income isn’t growing sufficiently to counteract that, it imposes considerable strain on family finances.”
A surge in necessity
Flood noted that his food bank has struggled to meet the volume of need this Thanksgiving season. Nonetheless, the commitment of volunteers allowed the LA Regional Food Bank to broaden its distribution locations, resulting in a 24% overall increase in food distributed compared to the previous Thanksgiving period, Flood reported.
George Matysik, the executive director of the Share Food Program in Philadelphia, stated that the network of pantries within their system experienced a twelvefold surge in new enrollments seeking food assistance over the last month. He also mentioned that emergency funding secured from the state, alongside neighborhood contributions, allowed the program to continue purchasing provisions.
Workers and volunteers distribute food boxes on November 5, 2025, in City of Industry, California. The event was hosted by the LA Regional Food Bank and LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis. Mario Tama/Getty Images
“The last few months represent the most arduous stretch in our organization’s history,” he commented.
Nevertheless, one resource appears plentiful: food banks informed CNN that during this particularly busy holiday season, the tireless volunteers powering these operations are intensifying their commitment to support their community members.
Mary Connors, a retiree who has aided the LA Regional Food Bank for six years, observed, “We usually have more than enough people showing up to volunteer. Everyone is eager to contribute.”
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