St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch announced that his administration has directed a $20,000 donation to the St. Pete Free Clinic in anticipation of the suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on November 1.
The St. Pete Free Clinic is one of the city’s most impactful and important nonprofits year-round, feeding and offering medical treatment to tens of thousands of people every year. With SNAP benefits due to expire under the current government shutdown, this donation will help the St. Pete Free Clinic feed local families in need.
“With the ongoing federal government shutdown my administration is deeply concerned for residents that may lose access to food and federal employees working without pay during this time of economic uncertainty, especially with the suspension of SNAP benefits on November 1,” Welch said. “The donation made today will expand St. Pete Free Clinic’s existing services and can help feed an additional 3,200 clients throughout the month of November. I encourage any impacted resident to take advantage of these services; there is no shame in asking for help. Ultimately, the City of St. Petersburg stands with those impacted by the federal government shutdown and will continue to identify resources that may be able to assist.”
The $20,000 donation came from the city’s Social Services Contingency funds and the city’s Office of Community Impact funds. SPFC’s We Help FRESH Pantry program provides nutritious food for an average of 30,000 individuals per month. Residents are encouraged to explore the Food Resources map on SPFC’s website: www.thespfc.org/map. More information on the St. Pete Free Clinic’s resources and how to access them can be found at thespfc.org…