BREMERTON, Wash. — In Bremerton, this Veterans Day wasn’t just about honoring those who served; it was about helping them through a difficult time.
A nonprofit spent the day handing out meals to vets and active service members, many of whom were affected by the ongoing government shutdown.
“Obviously, with the whole shutdown going on, resources are essential to people like us and our families,” Ray Jimenez, a sailor in the US Navy, said.
Jimenez, his wife, and his son were among more than 350 families given food at the event.
Jimenez said he has not missed a paycheck since the shutdown started, but is worried it won’t stay that way. He also has concerns surrounding the assistance his family relies on, namely the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
“We have a four-year-old at home, so we depend a lot on WIC,” he said. “They shut down some of the WIC resources to my wife, being able to bring home dairy and stuff that we normally get. So we had to tap into the food bank to bring home some of those resources.”
Jimenez is not alone. Operation Homefront, the nonprofit behind the giveaway, reports a 57% increase in requests for food assistance since this time last year, even before the shutdown started.
“This year, they are just struggling a little bit more, and our event is completely full,” Kelli Fagan with Operation Homefront said. “We are just doing whatever we can to get them some extra food.”
Operation Homefront said on top of the food needs, there is an urgent need for rental, healthcare, and childcare assistance due to the shutdown. The group requests donations through its website.
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