Why Are We Burning Out Our Anti-Hunger Champions?

For the past week or more, anti-hunger advocates have been nervously watching the news regarding a potential government shutdown. A shutdown would have had immediate, harmful impacts on programs that are essential for keeping families fed, and left charitable organizations strained to the max.

SNAP, WIC, and the National School Lunch Program are the most effective tools we have for fighting hunger.

SNAP serves nine times more people than American food banks, which is why a pause in funding had this field so panicked.

For an industry that is already overwhelmed with need, the repercussions of this shutdown had my colleagues and I quaking in our shoes. The thought of adding to our already oversized workload was daunting, to put it mildly.

Although I’m relieved to see that the immediate crisis has been postponed, the panic this incited in the anti-hunger field is important to examine.

Several days ago, I had an informational interview with someone who works on national-level anti-hunger program implementation, and I learned that these advocates are equally exhausted. During the height of the pandemic, fears of hunger rates escalating out of control led to the dedication of significant (and needed!) additional funding. But this boost in resources also increased the workload of the people who administer the programs far beyond their capacity.

My colleague and I commiserated on the fact that anti-hunger advocates at every level are burnt out. A perpetually increasing workload (with no end in sight) and the nonprofit industry’s preference for spending as much as possible on clients and programs and as little as possible on staffing and overhead means that staff lack the support to thrive (or even just succeed) in their roles.

We’re reaching a tipping point.

At the end of February 2023, people receiving SNAP benefits lost approximately $90 per person per month to spend on food. Anti-hunger advocates correctly sounded the alarm that we were facing a hunger crisis that could overwhelm emergency food resources.

Several months later, those warnings have been proven correct. My food pantry has seen a significant increase in the number of clients, and particularly in people who have never before used emergency food services. A year ago, we were serving about 110 households per day. Last Friday, we served 181 in the same four-hour period.

Considering the impacts of inflation, we anticipate breaking new attendance and distribution records every month from now through at least December.

It is important that we continue to provide exceptional service to these families, but I’m also realizing that now is the time we need to pay attention to our anti-hunger advocates.

The physical demands of running a food pantry include moving several thousand pounds of food every day alongside the emotional labor of making sure clients feel comfortable and safe, volunteers are welcomed, and as much support as possible is provided to individuals in crisis. Growing numbers of clients mean more food, higher stress levels, and greater administrative responsibilities, all to be completed in the same eight-hour workday.

No matter how much we love the work, we cannot continue to meet the demands being placed on emergency food assistance programs without additional support.

As the holidays approach, we will begin to hear calls for food drives, volunteers, and funds from food banks and pantries who will likely cite the increasing hunger needs of our communities. They may boast about how the majority or entirety of your donation goes to helping people in need. What this claim neglects to include is that they only achieve this by minimizing wages and depriving staff of the resources they need to do their job well.

How can you fight hunger without burning out your advocates?

• Research the priorities of your favorite nonprofits. Do they boast about low overhead costs? Does their staff make a living wage? Let this inform your donation decisions and be vocal about it.

• Advocate for trust-based philanthropy. The neglect of nonprofit staff is just as much a fault of funders as it is of leadership. When organizations have the autonomy to spend money how they want rather than being told by outside voices, they can make choices that support their mission rather than cater to donor preferences.

• Remember that hunger is a systemic problem, based in oppression and poverty, and that long-term effective solutions will address these issues rather than just food access. Support anti-poverty measures by voting, advocacy, and engaging with your elected leaders.

The opinions expressed here are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.

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