Food pantries, families still feel the impact of shutdown and economy as holidays draw near

BOUNTIFUL — The government shutdown may be over, but its ripple effects are still being felt by families across Utah.

At the Bountiful Community Food Pantry, volunteers are working hard to meet growing demand, and they said the need remains high as the holiday season approaches. Rebekah Anderson, executive director of the pantry, said it is seeing unique challenges this year.

“We’ve had a lot of people who have been laid off from their regular jobs,” Anderson explained. “We’ve had people who have suffered from the government shutdown. We’ve had people who’ve lost their benefits. But then we also have just a lot of people who are struggling to make ends meet.”

Despite a large number of food and cash donations pouring in from the community, the pantry is still feeling pressure to ensure n