An increasing number of military families in the United States have turned to food banks for help amid lack of funding from the government shutdown.
The shutdown has raised anxiety levels among the 1.3 million active-duty service personnel and their families. The U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has said it identified funds to cover military pay, but the uncertainty of the situation has already caused many families living paycheck to paycheck to seek assistance.
Chris Benson, director of the Western Washington food bank in Washington, D.C., previously served 22 years in the U.S. Navy. As the government shutdown drags on, Benson says his mission is to reach any service members and federal workers suddenly without pay.
"We're getting the word out there - 'Hey, come see your local food bank. That's one piece that you won't have to worry about whatever reserves you have in your bank account,'" said Benson.
He said demand at his food bank has already gone up 10 percent since October. However, he stressed asking for help is not easy for many military members.
"I never went to a food bank as a junior sailor. But I should have. But I felt embarrassed to go because, you know, I'm this big, bad sailor, and I'm defending our country. I shouldn't have to go to this food bank. I'm just going to suck it up," Benson said.
In Kitsap County, nearly one in three workers are tied to the Navy - as active duty or civilian personnel - and many are already struggling to put food on the table.
At Bremerton Foodline, the number of new clients has surged.
"On a normal annual basis, we serve about 300 veterans and active military members and since the shutdown started, we have seen 61 brand-new registrations," said Cori Kauk, executive director of Bremerton Foodline.
Kauk has been asking for more donations - especially baby formula and fresh produce - and is preparing to extend hours.
"Families are at risk of not being able to pay rent. So there could be risks of evictions. There could be impact on people's credit. People may not be able to pay their car payments, childcare," she said.
Meanwhile, the shutdown is threatening to compound suffering, as this new fight against hunger comes on top of an already growing need driven by rising food prices.
US military families turn to food banks for help amid government shutdown
US military families turn to food banks for help amid government shutdown
