Originally from Portland, Oregon, Cody and his fiancée Emilia relocated to Turtle Creek in April with their now six-month-old daughter, seeking a more affordable place to live. Cody works a minimum-wage job and dreams of attending nursing school to better support his growing family. But he knows that pursuing education will mean cutting back on work hours; a difficult tradeoff when every dollar counts.
The couple also faces the added expense of baby formula after experiencing challenges with breastfeeding. Despite these hurdles, Cody felt confident they could manage with the help of SNAP benefits.
For young families like Cody and Emilia, finding financial stability is never easy. But the recent loss of their SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown has made it even harder to make ends meet and plan for the future. “I’m one of those go-with-the-flow kind of people,” Cody says, “but [Emilia] is wondering what will happen and how we’ll be able to get food and stuff.”
With grocery prices rising and formula costs stacking up, Cody knows the absence of SNAP support will make life “a little rough for anybody that’s not making as much.” That’s why resources like The Market, the Food Bank’s on-site pantry, are so vital. Neighbors like Cody and Emilia can count on The Market to provide a wide selection of fresh produce, meats, and shelf-stable items when they need it most.