DUQUESNE, Pa. — Before the 2025 government shutdown resulted in a lapse of SNAP benefits for thousands of recipients, the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank had never distributed one million pounds of food in one week.
But these last two months, it’s happened four times, showing there’s still a dire need in our area.
Josh Murphy, director of supply chain strategy, described the unprecedented surge in demand that his team has seen in recent months in the 11 counties served by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
“It was a trickle and then a flood,” Murphy said. “We made the decision to start purchasing huge amounts of food to meet that need.”
Last fall, Murphy and other leaders gave the green light to spend millions of dollars for trailer-loads of ground beef, fresh foods, and much more, but due to the surge, the food bank’s inventory depleted. It saw a 30 percent decrease in a two-month period and is just now starting to rebound and replenish.
“Every time we have a crisis like this, we see the new normal resets to a higher volume,” Murphy said.
It’s been several weeks since recipients got their SNAP benefits back, but right now, in this first week of 2026, Murphy said there is a greater need than before the government shutdown happened.
Murphy says the food bank is keeping up, with the help of local farmers, community partners, volunteers, and other donors.
“The money that we spend from the donations that our community gives us goes so far,” Murphy said.
Looking ahead to the rest of 2026, Murphy said the food bank’s inventory is pretty strong and is prepared to respond to whatever comes their way through the third quarter.
There’s less money dedicated to food assistance at the federal level in a number of different programs, and we know we’re going to have to rely on our community more than ever,” Murphy said.
Right now, SNAP benefits are funded through the end of the fiscal year, which concludes September 30.
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