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Food banks and shelves can’t fill the gap left by SNAP cuts

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Headshot of Virginia Witherspoon

Virginia Witherspoon, Executive Director, Channel One Regional Food Bank 

As executive director of Channel One Regional Food Bank, Virginia Witherspoon leads a network of over 125 food shelves and pantries serving 14 counties in southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Though Channel One provides free food, Witherspoon is clear: SNAP is essential to fighting hunger. 

“We don’t accept SNAP. All of our food is free, but we know that SNAP is a vital part of the ecosystem that’s helping people have enough groceries at home.” 

SNAP supports nearly half a million Minnesotans, with more than half living outside the Twin Cities. Last year, food shelf visits hit 9 million—nearly triple what they were just a few years ago. 

“One in five households in Minnesota is food insecure. SNAP is the largest, most effective anti-hunger program.” 

But as Congress considers cuts to the program, Witherspoon warns that food shelves cannot absorb the blow. 

“We know that SNAP cuts lead directly to increased demand,” Witherspoon said. Channel One saw an immediate spike in need as soon as the Pandemic EBT program ended, and households lost up to $200 in monthly food support. 

“We thought that was the high-water mark. But every year, it has continued to go up, and we don't have any more levers to pull in the charity food shelf and food bank system.” 

SNAP offers flexibility that food shelves can’t. Witherspoon said she won’t forget a shopper who stood in the food shelf aisle just needing an onion. That week, they didn’t have any. 

“SNAP helps people buy exactly what they need. We try to offer variety, but we can’t always.” 

Meanwhile, Channel One is facing shortages of its own. In early 2025, the food bank received 172,000 fewer pounds of government food compared to the previous year. There were similar declines in corporate and statewide donations. 

“We’re not used to turning our neighbors away,” Witherspoon said. However, Channel One and other non-profits might not have a choice. “We're just not going to have enough food if we see these drastic cuts to SNAP.