SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - With the federal government shutdown now the longest in U.S. History, a shortage in food benefits has more families turning to food pantries. The Catholic Diocese of Springfield had announced a call-to-action for all western Mass parish pantries.

“I’m blessed I don’t need this option, but there are so many people are hungry and have to feed their families, and they’re scared,” Christine Farrell, the president of St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Mary’s Parish in Westfield, highlighting what the need is like for the food pantry.

Our crew seeing nearly empty and completely bare shelves across the room, and the demand is significant, “we need cereal. It’s a biggie. Spaghetti sauce, we feel like spaghetti & meatballs is a good meal. Cans of soup, cans of beef stew, peanut butter,” said Farrell.

In October, the pantry saw between 20 and 25 people weekly, including both SNAP and non-SNAP recipients. Now, that number has doubled or tripled. With the federal government still shut down and SNAP benefit recipients in a tough position, pantry and food bank shelves are rapidly being cleared out.

Catholic Diocese of Springfield Bishop William Byrne stopping by the Westfield Parish on Thursday, calling on all western Mass parishes and the general public to help out, “we just want to let every parish do what it’s doing best and parishes that aren’t doing it as well to heighten their awareness to say ‘now’s an opportunity to begin. It’s as easy as getting a big box and putting it at the entrance to the church,” said Byrne.

Byrne stood with Shaina Rodriguez of the diocese’s Catholic Charities Agency, which runs an emergency mobile food pantry called “Going Where the Need Is”. It currently has a signup list of 98 families, comprised of 341 people, primarily in Springfield.

Copyright 2025. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.