Last year’s record-breaking government shutdown halted SNAP benefits, paused the 

The National School Lunch Program and left thousands of St. Louis residents in need of affordable food. Feed My People volunteer Alice Larson, however, said the local pantry is working hard to keep up with the rising demand.

A member of AVID 11 and a junior at Lindbergh High School, Larson dedicates her time in along with the other AVID 11 students helping with Feed My People, a local program that provides food and clothes to those in need. Recently, the organization has been running a food drive accepting donations of canned goods, whole-grain products, spices and clothes as a way to combat the temporary defunding of government programs.

Several Lindbergh students have already made an effort to help out, Larson said, it is a student-led initiative and saying that students were the primary driving force behind the organization of the food drive at Lindbergh.

“It’s very heartwarming to see all of these people getting the help they need, especially because it’s more personal and they get to choose what they want or need,” Larson said, and added: “Feed My People can give people in poverty a lot more dignity because it’s more similar to a grocery store, so the people can go pick out the foods they need.”

Larson believes that Feed My People’s 

A grocery-store-like environment makes getting

assistance with food feels less dehumanizing, and that it makes the experience feel more normal for people than picking up a box of prepackaged food.

“People can go and pick out the foods they need, like if they have a picky eater at home,” 

Larson said. Around ten percent of Missouri’s population uses food stamps, and nearly 48 percent of Missouri students use NSLP for lunch, according to an article by USAfacts. During the government shutdown, an AVID 11 teacher helping oversee the organization of the drive at Lindbergh Schools said that food drives such as Feed My People have been very helpful to the local community. 

“To me, it sounds like Feed My People is very involved in the community. One of my students asked the director of Feed My People what she does if someone does not have the transportation to get here, and she said she will sometimes deliver the food and that typically those people also need more help than just food, so they also can provide a lawn service,” Derry said.

Other local programs, such as the Salvation Army, Feeding Missouri (a partnership of Missouri’s six major food banks), and St. Louis Gateway Citadel, have also contributed to food donation efforts. Leigh Anne Haun, the executive director of Feeding Missouri, said in an article by the Missouri Independent that “food banks are the safety net to the safety net” and the main need for the community right now is volunteering and donations. Despite city-wide strains, Derry said the Feed My People food drive has seen ample success.

“The students have been very organized and have really taken initiative. They have blown me away. Students have been following their interests, and people have really been doing their set jobs really well. The drive is doing very well,” Derry said.

Larson also said the drive had collected more items than expected. 

“The original goal was around 350 items, and we ended up with 1,300 items and passed 2 goals in the same day. I would definitely help with this drive again,” Larson said.