How to Help Families Affected by the Shutdown
The ongoing federal government shutdown is disrupting essential nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC, leaving millions of Missouri and Illinois families without the benefits they rely on to buy groceries and feed their children. Food pantries across our region are already reporting up to a 50% increase in demand—and the need will grow as the shutdown continues.
Operation Food Search is scaling up quickly: expanding distribution to our 170+ partner agencies, extending our MetroMarket mobile grocery store, and funding child meal programs if federal support remains paused. We’re also increasing our Nourishing Our Neighbors Thanksgiving distribution and adding emergency food events with partners throughout the region.
This page provides information about how you can join us in supporting local families. Now more than ever, we need your help to make sure no one in our community goes hungry.
How You Can Help
With your help, Operation Food Search will continue to nourish our community—today and every day—until everyone has enough to eat.
Donate Money: Make a gift of any size to help us purchase and distribute food where it’s needed most. Donate here.
**Special donation opportunity: Help the mothers and babies we serve during the SNAP benefits freeze by donating formula and baby food via our Amazon Wishlist!
Double Your Impact: Many employers match charitable gifts—check to see if yours does. Check matching gifts.
Fundraise: Build-A-Benefit by hosting your own fundraiser to rally your friends, coworkers, or faith community to contribute funds to this urgent cause.
Collect Food: A food drive held on your block or at your school or office can provide crucial shelf-stable items for families facing hunger. Download list of most-needed items here. Learn more about hosting a drive here.
Current Food Drives Where You Can Donate
With so many people eager to help their neighbors, local food drives are springing up across the area—here is the current list of larger food drives you can contribute to.
🍅 Schnuck Markets—multiple locations—now through Nov. 11, 2025
🍅 Lee’s Famous Chicken—multiple locations—Nov. 3 through Nov. 21, 2025
🍅 HotShots Sports Bars—multiple locations—Nov. 3 through Nov. 21, 2025
🍅 Neighbors Credit Union—multiple locations—now through Nov. 4, 2025
🍅 Great Southern Bank—multiple locations—Nov. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025
See list of most-needed items to donate here.
In addition, non-perishable donations can be dropped off 24 hours a day in the white donation bin outside the Operation Food Search warehouse at 1644 Lotsie Blvd. in St. Louis, MO.
The coming weeks will test our community’s resolve and resources, but also its compassion. With your support, Operation Food Search will continue to strive to ensure no child, senior, individual or family faces hunger alone.
Stay Informed
Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on our emergency response efforts and our work towards creating a hunger-free tomorrow.
