As there appears to be no end in sight for the government shutdown, everyday Americans who rely on the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) and federal workers who have now missed paychecks are facing the brunt of the closure.

Federal SNAP funds are not scheduled to be sent out starting Nov. 1, but in the midst of uncertainty, there is pending litigation to fund SNAP, and state leaders are trying to help fund local food banks as they’re expecting an increase in operations.

The Nevada Independent has put together a comprehensive list of various food banks and pantries that Nevadans can go to for assistance. See something we’ve missed or want to add a resource? Let us know at [email protected].

Nevada 211

Nevada 211 is a program within the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services connecting Nevadans to resources they may need, including but not limited to child care, homelessness and emergency food assistance.

It provides a list of food banks across the state, programs that serve free, daily hot congregate meals to eligible children and adults, food delivery to seniors, etc.

The full list of food services for Nevada 211 can be found here. 

Food Bank of Northern Nevada

The Food Bank of Northern Nevada (FBNN) serves all of Northern Nevada with any food needs, including programs for seniors and children, produce delivery and family health festivals that families can use to access food support and connect with local health and community services.

The website has an interactive food finder map where you can see the schedule of various food programs, including pantries, as well as their service schedules for what time of the day they hand out food.

A full list of services for the Food Bank of Northern Nevada can be found here.

Three Square Food Bank

Three Square Food Bank serves all of Southern Nevada and also has an interactive food finder map, where it lists various food services, including emergency food distribution, home delivery, meals for kids and seniors, and walk-up or walk-in pantries. 

The food bank has experienced a 16 percent increase in food pantry participation during the past four months, 75 percent of whom are first-time users. 

But Beth Martino, president of Three Square, told The Nevada Independent on Tuesday that she was hopeful that with the state’s emergency funding for food banks, the organization would be able to keep pace with rising demand.

“We certainly aim not to turn anyone away,” Martino said, emphasizing the nonprofit was working with partners across the state “to make sure that food pantries have enough to meet this massive spike in demand.”

In light of SNAP funds being cut off Nov. 1, Three Square will be operating drive-through emergency food distributions at four locations:

• 7-9 a.m. TCMI Church, 5101 N. Rainbow Blvd., Las Vegas, NV, 89130
• 7-9 a.m. Central Church (Hope for the City), 1001 New Beginnings Drive, Henderson, NV, 89011
• 9 a.m. - noon College of Southern Nevada (North Las Vegas), 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., North Las Vegas, NV, 89030
• 9 a.m. - noon UNLV (Thomas & Mack), 4505 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV, 89154

Just One Project

The Just One Project — a nonprofit organization in Southern Nevada that aims to increase access to food, resources and supportive services — has a Food for All initiative to meet various community needs.

Some of its programs include various markets, such as its no cost-community market where community members can access free groceries, its pop-up-and-give mobile market, which is held in low income communities through the project’s mobile pantry, and its food-as-medicine farmers market, which provides fresh produce to those in need.

A full list of the Just One Project’s Food for All initiatives can be found here.

Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada

The St. Vincent’s Food Pantry — part of Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada — is the largest food pantry in Northern Nevada providing produce, meat and dairy products to those in need at no cost. St. Vincent’s also supports various smaller food banks across rural Northern Nevada.

In light of SNAP benefits not extending into November, the food pantry will be holding special distributions Nov. 1, at four locations, all from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.:

• Food Bank of Northern Nevada Oddie Location, 1305 Sullivan Drive, Sparks, NV, 89431
• Sun Valley Food Pantry, 130 W. Gepford Parkway, Sun Valley, NV, 89433
• Moana Neighborhood Center, 480 E. Moana Lane, Reno, NV, 89502
• St. Rose of Lima Parking Lot, 100 Bishop Manogue Drive, Reno, NV, 89511

Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada

The Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada (CCSN) will continue to offer its food services to residents of Las Vegas and surrounding areas. All of its food services are run out of the group’s headquarters at 1501 Las Vegas Blvd., North Las Vegas, NV, 89101.

CCSN’s food programs include:

• A free meal served from 10-11 a.m. every day
• A breakfast meal, including coffee, pastries and hot food, served from 7-8:30 a.m. every weekday morning. The breakfast meal is not free, but fees are reduced. Residents can use cash, card or SNAP benefits to pay.
• A free food pantry from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every weekday and on select Saturdays. Residents can only get food from the pantry once per month.

All are welcome at CCSN’s events and food services, regardless of religion.

Reno Salvation Army

The Salvation Army Reno Corps, which serves Washoe County, has various social services available to those in need, including food boxes, which are available from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday. It also operates a daily food pantry that members of the public with an ID can attend on a rolling basis once every 30 days.

So far this year, on average, the Salvation Army Reno Corps has given away 2,200 food boxes. In light of the expected increase in need, it has asked local businesses to host food drives to help bolster what it can provide.

On Nov. 17, outside of the Corwin Ford dealership at 11111 S. Virginia St., Reno, NV, 89511, it will hold a protein drive where it is asking for members of the public to donate turkeys and hams to be used for holiday meal boxes. Last year it was able to deliver 1,500 meal boxes and aims to reach that same number this year.

Rural Fallon and Churchill

In the counties of Fallon and Churchill they have announced various pantries and commodities as well as hot meals available for those in rural Nevada who relied on SNAP benefits.

Pantries and commodities

• Mondays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. New Frontier Treatment Center, 1490 Grimes St., Fallon, NV, 89406
• Mondays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Epworth Community Food Pantry at the Wolf Center, 457 Esmeralda St., Fallon, NV, 89406
• Mondays 3- 5 p.m., Wednesdays 9 a.m. to noon and Fridays 9 a.m. to noon at Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe Toi Ticutta Food Hub, 8942 Mission Road, Fallon, NV, 89406
• Thursdays 9:30-11 a.m. Out of Egypt Food Pantry, 1075 Taylor Place, Fallon, NV, 89406
• Second Thursday of every month 9-10:30 a.m. and FBNN Mobile produce Harvest at William Pennington Life Center 952 S. Maine St., Fallon, NV, 89406 
• Fourth Thursday of every month 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. commodities (milk, cheese, etc.) at William Pennington Life Center, 952 S. Maine St., Fallon, NV, 89406

Hot and cold meals:

• Sundays and Tuesdays 7:30-9 a.m. breakfast at Oasis Community Church, 1520 S. Maine St., Fallon, NV, 89406
• Mondays 5-6 p.m. hot supper at Fallon Daily Bread at the Wolf Center, 457 Esmeralda St., Fallon, NV, 89406
• Wednesdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. sack lunches at Epworth UMC, 280 E. Stillwater Ave., Fallon, NV, 89406 (on the back porch next door to the Wolf Center) 
• Wednesdays 5-6 p.m. hot meal at Fallon Naz, 1520 Grimes St., Fallon, NV, 89406
• Thursdays: hot supper at Fallon Daily Bread, 5-6 p.m. at the Wolf Center, 457 Esmeralda St., Fallon, NV, 89406
• Monday-Friday: hot lunch at the William Pennington Life Center, 952 S. Maine St., Fallon, NV, 89406 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Free to those older than 60, $6 for others

The Children’s Cabinet

The Children’s Cabinet is a grocery-style food pantry that focuses on providing healthy food to promote children’s growth and development. It offers dairy and proteins, plus other staple foods across all major food groups.

It is located inside The Children’s Cabinet’s Wilbur D. May Youth Center, 777 S. Sinclair St., Reno, NV, 89501

More information regarding hours and availability of items can be found here.

Reno-Sparks Gospel Mission

The Reno-Sparks Gospel mission provides free meals to homeless or food insecure people in Northern Nevada.

Its staff prepares as many as 1,300 meals each day and serves breakfast and dinner to any individual or family off the streets, and provides groceries to hundreds of people each week.

Meals are provided daily at the Downtown Mission Building, 355 Record St., Reno, NV 89512, breakfast is at 7 a.m. and dinner is at 5 p.m.

The mission also operates a food pantry from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at its warehouse at 2115 Timber Way, Reno, NV 89512.