BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — As the federal government shutdown drags on, families across the Brazos Valley are increasingly turning to local food pantries to make ends meet. But with each family limited to one monthly visit and receiving about a week's worth of groceries, the question remains: how far can these resources really stretch?
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At the Sonshine Outreach Center, the reality is stark. Coordinator Lisa Wamsley describes the situation with one word: "Crazy."
The numbers tell the story. Just last week, 23 new families showed up in only three days — numbers the pantry usually sees in an entire month.
"This time last year, we were serving around 1,200. This time this year we're on to 1,500 to 1,600," Wamsley said.
The shelves are thinning, but the lines keep getting longer. Each family is limited to one visit per month and given enough food to last about a week.
To understand the challenge families face, 15ABC picked up the same groceries a single person would receive and took them to local chef, Tanner Purdum for his professional assessment.
"I do think this would be a tough ask for a full month for somebody," Purdum said.
Purdum, who has spent more than a decade in the kitchen, believes creativity can help stretch limited ingredients. Simple strategies like turning one big stew into several meals or freezing leftovers can make food last longer.
"You know, you don't have to be the next Gordon Ramsay to make something delicious and good," Purdum said.
Both Wamsley and Purdum emphasize that it's not just food that sustains families during difficult times — it's the community support behind it.
"I do think that food pantries play such a pivotal role in our community and they do an awesome job of filling the gaps of people's needs and they feed so many," Purdum said.
Wamsley reminds the community that need doesn't discriminate.
"Hunger doesn't have a face. You don't know if the person sitting next to you at church had breakfast this morning," Wamsley said.
The Sonshine Outreach Center food pantry is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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