Key Takeaways:
Great Plains Food Bank reported the highest demand in its 43-year history with 167,000 individuals served, including one in five North Dakotans and one in four children.
Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha is experiencing four times the demand it saw in 2018, expecting to serve 580,000 households this fiscal year.
For every one meal a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine, and food banks across the country say they cannot fill the gap created by $187 billion in federal cuts.
The Great Plains Food Bank reported on March 12 that it served 167,000 individuals last year, the highest number in the organization's 43-year history. Demand increased 11% year over year. One in five North Dakotans turned to food assistance. Among children, the rate was one in four. CEO Ann Prifrel said a growing number of senior citizens are seeking help as fixed incomes fail to keep pace with inflation.
That report landed the same week the House Agriculture Committee advanced a Farm Bill that does nothing to reverse $187 billion in SNAP cuts.
The Numbers Are Everywhere
The Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha is experiencing four times the demand it saw in 2018. The organization expects to serve 580,000 households across 93 counties in Nebraska and western Iowa this fiscal year, the highest in its history. South Plains Food Bank in Texas is distributing approximately 121,000 food boxes this year, compared to 90,000 annually before the pandemic, a 25% increase in people served.
The Food Bank of Northern Nevada serves an average of 160,000 people per month, a 76% increase over pre-pandemic levels. On the Duck Valley Reservation, a community of about 1,000 people straddling Idaho and Nevada, the local food pantry went from serving 10 to 20 households per month when it opened in 2020 to 60 or more now. The nearest grocery store beyond the reservation is more than 100 miles away.
In Rhode Island, November 2025 marked a 35% increase in individuals served compared to November 2020. Harvesters, a regional food bank serving Kansas City, warned that reduced SNAP access will directly increase food bank demand. "That need didn't go away," said director of communications Sarah Biles. "More people will be coming to our pantries."
Nine to One
The number that explains everything: for every one meal a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine. Food banks across the country are sending an identical message. They cannot replace SNAP at scale.
The Food Bank of Alaska said pantries are already at capacity. California's food bank association is serving more than 6 million people per month. Alabama's Feeding Alabama warned there is "no backup plan" if $187 billion in cuts stand.
Beginning October 2026, states will pay 75% of SNAP administrative costs, up from 50%, and must cover a share of benefit costs for the first time. One study estimates states' collective SNAP costs could rise to $15 billion annually once provisions are fully phased in. Some states may withdraw from the program entirely.
More than 50 million people received food from food banks and pantries in 2023, compared to 40 million in 2019. That number will grow. The infrastructure to measure it no longer exists.
People Also Ask
Q: How much has food bank demand increased in 2026? A: Increases range from 11% to 300% depending on region, with some food banks reporting the highest demand in their histories and many serving 25% to 76% more people than pre-pandemic levels.
Q: Can food banks replace SNAP benefits? A: No. For every one meal a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine. Food bank associations nationwide have stated they cannot fill the gap created by federal cuts.
Q: How much are SNAP costs shifting to states? A: Beginning October 2026, states will pay 75% of administrative costs (up from 50%) and a portion of benefit costs for the first time, with estimated collective state costs reaching $15 billion annually.
Q: How many Americans receive food from charitable sources? A: Over 50 million Americans received food from food banks, pantries, and other charitable sources in 2023, compared to 40 million in 2019, according to Feeding America.
Sources: Prairie Public | KFF Health News | KCTV | Pew | FRAC | Prior WYDE coverage: Farm Bill Advances Without Reversing SNAP Cuts | Somalia Hunger Doubles