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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTrick-or-treaters may get more than candy this year.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tTrick-or-treaters may get more than candy this year.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
(Christin Lola\/Adobe)<\/p>\n
Allison Gullick\u2019s Westwood house is a destination for trick-or-treaters. It\u2019s an autumnal white whale: a full-size candy bar house. She also hands out toys for little ones and sodas for teens. Last year, she handed out applesauce pouches. Gullick, a community epidemiologist, thought sharing a healthier option might also be welcome.\u00a0<\/p>\n
During a holiday that is gleefully not about nutrition, \u201cI went through applesauce like no other,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
One child walked up and grabbed a pouch. Having that applesauce meant there would be something to eat for lunch the next day, the child said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat shook me to my core,\u201d Gullick says.<\/p>\n
Gullick is the president of the Westwood Village & Estates Historic Neighborhood Association and has lived in the Phoenix neighborhood since 2017. While talking with some neighbors, the idea was floated to share nonperishable food during trick-or-treating on Friday night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She and other community members around the Valley are organizing to share what they can in the face of millions of Americans losing federal food benefits on Saturday, Nov. 1. That will include more than 900,000 Arizonans who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also called food stamps. Those benefits are provided on debit-like cards that people can use to shop for groceries.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very scary for a lot of people,\u201d Gullick says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Time is quickly ticking down while Congress remains at an impasse over the federal budget.\u00a0The government shut down on Oct. 1. Since then, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has refused to dip into a $6 billion contingency fund to cover some benefits in November.\u00a0Arizona sued the Trump administration<\/a>, joining 21 other states, to prevent food assistance from being cut off.<\/p>\n Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, announced $1.8 million in food assistance for Arizonans on Wednesday. The funding will go to food banks, with $300,000 tagged for Food Bucks Now<\/a>, a fresh-food program. Hobbs acknowledged these dollars are a drop in the $150 million bucket needed to fund food assistance in the state.\u00a0<\/p>\n The governor encouraged people to lend a hand to their neighbors. And for Valley residents, leaning on each other isn\u2019t new. Community fridges<\/a> provide lifesaving water in the deadly summer heat. During Thanksgiving, families gather to hand out turkeys. And in the face of SNAP running dry, restaurants have pledged to provide free meals<\/a> to people receiving federal food assistance.\u00a0<\/p>\n As families prep their costumes for Halloween, United Way recommends handing out nonperishable goods<\/a> in addition to candy this year. The nonprofit organization suggests offering items that are easy for kids to tote with their Halloween treats, like protein bars, pretzels or chips, pudding snacks or microwaveable mac and cheese.<\/p>\n
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With SNAP benefits facing cuts, Chelsea Kenney started a \u201cgiving shelf\u201d to help neighbors in need. <\/p>\n