LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A Las Vegas food market and pantry is losing retail revenue after recent federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program stripped nearly 27,000 Nevadans of their food stamp benefits — leaving fewer shoppers with less to spend.
Pantry fills the gap
James Holmes picks up his weekly groceries at the Aftermarket pantry near Lake Mead and Nellis Boulevard. Like thousands of other Nevadans, Holmes faced a choice when SNAP work requirements took effect: volunteer, find work, or lose his benefits.
“I woke up hungry many days,” Holmes said.
Holmes had already turned to the pantry before the new requirements kicked in. “I didn’t know where to go and get help and I came to pastor,” he said.
Volunteer hours keep benefits intact
Pastor DeWayne McCoy, founder of the Aftermarket, offers volunteer hours to Holmes and others so they can maintain their food stamp eligibility. Holmes said his work includes sorting donated produce. “Any fruit that we get from apples to bell peppers to cabbage — we go through it and we sort it out,” he said.
Retail side takes a hit
Since the SNAP qualifications changed, McCoy said the retail side of the Aftermarket has seen a significant drop in traffic. Some shelves sit empty because the founder says there is little point in restocking items that are not moving.
“I’ve seen a lot fewer shoppers come through the market because a lot of people don’t have the benefits they used to have,” McCoy said. “Some don’t have any, and some when they qualified didn’t qualify for the same amounts.”
McCoy said customers are still coming in when they can, but their purchases have declined. “The items and the amount they are purchasing have started to go down,” he said.
Committed to the community
Despite the revenue loss, McCoy said he is committed to continuing to feed those in need. “If I have to give everything away in the market to feed people, I will — basically that’s kind of where we are right now, but the goal is to keep everything sustained,” he said.
McCoy said every dollar spent on the retail side helps fund the pantry side of the operation.
If you would like more information on the Aftermarket and ways to donate you can click here.
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