Finding Hope During the SNAP Pause: Bernice’s Story
When Bernice walked into Community Food Share for the first time, she wasn’t sure what to expect. The 25-year-old CU Boulder graduate had recently learned that her SNAP benefits were paused due to the government shutdown, leaving her unsure how she would afford groceries that month.
“I’m the oldest out of five girls,” she said. “My mom migrated from Mexico to the United States when I was two. I was the first one to go to college, I went to CU Boulder for my undergrad, and now I’m finishing up my master’s degree next semester.”
For the past few years, SNAP benefits helped her stretch her limited income and afford healthy, fresh food. “I didn’t make a lot of money since it mostly went to housing,” she explained. “SNAP really helped me be able to buy healthy food.”
When the government shutdown caused her benefits to pause, she suddenly found herself without that safety net. Searching online for help, Bernice found Community Food Share through findhelp.org. “I didn’t really know what to expect,” she said. “Growing up, food pantries were mostly canned goods. But when I came in, I was shocked, it was so organized, and there were fresh fruits and vegetables. We were so excited about that part.”
She said being able to choose her own groceries helped her feel respected and at ease. “It felt like a grocery store,” she said. “You still get to choose what you want, which makes it more comforting. You have control of your experience.”
For Bernice, who is dairy-free, seeing inclusive food options meant a lot. “We got these confetti cookies that were dairy-free and gluten-free,” she said. “I didn’t expect anything like that.”
She says SNAP benefits allowed her to eat well, something she doesn’t take for granted. “I used that money to buy fresh, healthy food,” Bernice said. “The prices of groceries have gone up so much, and that means really organic and healthy food is almost inaccessible. It’s a privilege to buy fresh fruits and veggies, not everyone can.”
Losing those benefits, she said, “just adds another layer of stress and anxiety.” But coming to Community Food Share brought some relief. “It lightens up the load,” Bernice said. “It gives hope that there’s a communal effort to make sure families don’t go without food.”
Her message to others, especially young people who may be struggling, is simple: “There’s no shame in using community resources. I think sometimes we get caught up in this individualistic mindset, but at the end of the day, if you don’t have community, you don’t really have anything.”
