Central Pennsylvania Food Bank CEO Shila Ulrich recently published a Lancaster Online op-ed about the growing hunger crisis in Central PA, the challenges it’s creating for families, and the reasons leaders must act now to combat it.
Ulrich writes, “While this situation is critical, it is not hopeless. In moments like these, the strength of central Pennsylvania has always been found in its people: neighbors helping neighbors, volunteers stepping up, and communities that refuse to let others fall through the cracks. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support we’ve already seen, but the reality is that we will need even more help in the days ahead.”
Read the op-ed below to learn how we can meet this moment together with urgency and compassion.
Our neighbors are in crisis and facing hunger. Our leaders must end the federal shutdown now.
By SHILA WILLIAMS ULRICH | FOR LNP | LANCASTERONLINE
Nov. 2, 2025
To say we are in crisis would be an understatement.
Across central Pennsylvania, thousands of our neighbors are facing dire circumstances as the federal government shutdown stretches on and the state budget impasse drags past the 120-day mark. This double crisis has created uncertainty, fear and financial strain, pushing more families to the brink — and more of them to our doors.
On Saturday, Lancaster County families who depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program began receiving nothing. You read that right — no government food assistance. These are parents who are already juggling impossible choices, older citizens deciding between medication and meals, and veterans who served their country only to face empty cupboards at home. And now, with federal workers and contractors missing paychecks, even more households are struggling to afford the basics.
Two federal judges ruled Friday that the Trump administration must tap emergency reserves to pay for SNAP benefits during the shutdown, but the benefits likely will be delayed. As The New York Times reported Friday, “Lawyers for the Trump administration had previously suggested it could take weeks to disburse benefits.”
The temporary halt in SNAP benefits (known informally as food stamps) caused by this shutdown will have devastating short-term consequences. Even before this crisis began, more than 55,000 individuals in Lancaster County alone relied on SNAP food assistance each month. They also rely on a network of more than 60 community food resources, such as pantries and soup kitchens, to help meet their food needs. We’re already seeing the number of people in need climb and expect it to continue rising.
Our partner food pantries are reporting surges in demand and our emergency pantry is experiencing record-high traffic. We are doing everything possible to respond — working with major food donors, community partners and funding organizations to source and distribute more food. But make no mistake: This is not a temporary bump. With the shutdown, the state budget impasse, and continued inflation, this is going to be a long-term crisis.
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank serves nearly 268,000 neighbors every month across 27 counties, including Lancaster County. Those we serve include people who have jobs but still can’t make ends meet.
Over the past two years, food insecurity in our region has risen 44%. At our three food hubs, and across our partner network, the increases are staggering. Shelves that were once stocked for a week’s worth of distribution are now being emptied in days. Volunteers are working overtime to keep up. The scale of this crisis is unlike anything we’ve seen since the height of the pandemic.
But while this situation is critical, it is not hopeless. In moments like these, the strength of central Pennsylvania has always been found in its people: neighbors helping neighbors, volunteers stepping up, and communities that refuse to let others fall through the cracks. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support we’ve already seen, but the reality is that we will need even more help in the days ahead.
Right now, the best way to make an impact is through financial donations. Money allows us to purchase and distribute the most urgently needed items quickly and efficiently. Donations can be made at centralpafoodbank.org by clicking the “Give Now” button. Every dollar makes a difference and allows us to source four meals. Each meal, each child or family served, each act of compassion changes our Lancaster County community for the better.
For those who need help, please know that resources are available. Visit our website and click on “Find Help,” then “Find Food.” Enter your ZIP code, and you’ll find a list of pantries and programs near you. No one should go hungry, and we are here to make sure no one does.
Still, community generosity alone cannot solve a crisis of this scale. This moment demands leadership. It demands urgency. Our elected officials at both the federal and state levels must set aside partisan politics and act — now. End the federal shutdown. Pass a state budget. Restore funding to programs that feed families and keep communities stay afloat. Every day of inaction has consequences. Every day these impasses continue, more children go to bed hungry, more seniors face empty refrigerators, and more working families wonder how they’ll get through the week. Ending hunger is not a political issue — it is a moral one.
At the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, our mission is simple: fighting hunger, improving lives and strengthening communities. That mission will not waver, no matter how difficult the days ahead may be. But we cannot do this alone. It will take all of us — government, nonprofits, businesses and everyday citizens — to meet this moment.
The urgency is clear. The need is real. And the time to act is now.
Shila Williams Ulrich serves as chief executive officer of Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, which covers a 27-county territory. She was previously the executive director of The Caring Cupboard, a food pantry aiding the Palmyra, Annville, Cleona and Jonestown areas.
