Across Blair, Cambria and Somerset counties, 61,000 people will be affected by partially funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits as the federal government shutdown continues.

To combat this growing need, United Way is partnering with local organizations to ensure residents will have access to food this holiday season.

“It’s really important to come together as a community to meet this news,” said Karen Struble, president of the United Way of the Southern Alleghenies. “With Thanksgiving around the corner, we want to make sure everyone has food on their table.”

The current ruling is that SNAP recipients will be getting 65% of their original household size allocations, but Thursday afternoon, a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP by Friday. Almost immediately, the administration appealed the decision.

No matter the final outcome, there is a benefit rollout lag time to consider, Struble said, stating that this “isn’t an overnight situation.”

There are 23,500 Blair residents currently enrolled in SNAP, she said, most of whom are employed but can’t make ends meet to afford the basics.

While struggling with SNAP benefit cuts, she said those individuals may also be dealing without Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding, creating more need-based concerns in households across the commonwealth.

“Then you add riding costs at the grocery store … it’s more challenging to stretch that dollar for families as well,” Struble added.

CPV Rouge’s Wind and The Polacek Family Partnership Fund of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies have both donated a total of $15,000 to the United Way Cambria County branch.

The organization is still looking for donors to the Blair and Somerset branches, however.

Facing an unprecedented need in the community, Struble said “it’s about our communities banding together to meet the need.”

As of now, United Way is working with local food pantries in Blair and Somerset counties to meet their food distribution needs by creating emergency food baskets that contain five-days’ worth of food items.

At this time, the organization is accepting donations through their website that will directly impact whichever county the donor chooses. Donations will keep local food banks stocked, according to the United Way press release.

“Every gift, no matter the size, helps put food on someone’s table,” Struble said.

Donations can be made at unitedwaysa.org/food.