OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – First Lutheran Church distributed 200 free Thanksgiving meals Saturday as food insecurity continues to affect families weeks after the government shutdown ended.
The church has operated the annual Thanksgiving food drive for 14 years, but Pastor Miriam Blair said this year brought unprecedented demand with many first-time recipients.
“They don’t even know how this system works, right? And so when you see that, like, your heart just breaks for them,” Blair said.
SHUTDOWN EFFECTS LINGER
The church also runs a weekly food pantry that saw demand triple during the recent government shutdown. Blair said the shutdown’s impact continues despite its end…