North Texans turn front yards into mini food pantries amid SNAP benefit delays
As the government shutdown drags on, many North Texans who depend on SNAP benefits are left wondering where their next meal will come from. But across the metroplex, neighbors are stepping up, turning their front yards into small food pantries to help fill the gap.
Katie Manigold of Richardson said the idea came to her on Halloween night when families were collecting candy. She thought food could also be needed.
"Food is not political," she said. "This is a basic human need."
With SNAP benefit distributions stalled for thousands of families across North Texas, Manigold decided to take action. Using her own money, she filled storage bins with nonperishable food and set them up outside her home on Serenade Lane, creating a small, free food pantry for anyone in need.
"I grabbed the bins in my house and filled them with anything from the store that would make a difference," she said. "Kindness is free. I know food is expensive, but when you have more than you need, why not let go of some of that and help those in need?"
Now, her front-yard pantry is restocked daily by her and other neighbors, as others quietly stop by to take what they need.
"Every day it's gone, and then refilled," she said. "Life is really expensive right now, even for the middle class that isn't living paycheck to paycheck."
The idea is catching on. In McKinney, Morgan Rizzo recently set up a similar self-serve food pantry outside her family's small business on Tennessee Street.
"As I've gotten older, I just want to pour back into the community as much as I can," Rizzo said. "For SNAP benefits to be cut off...people unable to feed their children...it's our goal to help each other during difficult times."
Her pantry, stocked with fruits, vegetables, and pantry staples, offers a simple way to help neighbors through hardship.
"It's a great way to change the trajectory of someone's day, someone's week, even their year," Rizzo said. "Just to have what they need. Basic essentials."