Storehouse West intake numbers double as food, funds deplete

RIO RANCHO — “It’s a s- — show,” Storehouse West director Joe Mickelson said on another busy pantry day Nov. 5.

Dozens of cars, both parked and waiting in line at the pantry, could give people an idea of how the lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, and other national issues are impacting the community.

Though partial benefits and state money are set to keep people afloat for a little while, the in-person experience is much less technical. People need food, and pantries are having a hard time keeping up, as was easy to see at Storehouse West.

Mickelson talked about the pantry’s point of view.

“It truly is (a s- — show). We didn’t get our federal funding,” he said.

Nationally, $500 million of SNAP money is on hold. For Storehouse West, according to Mickelson, that means they aren’t getting about $46,000.

He said the pantry got first notification in March that funds were “frozen” and shortly after realized they wouldn’t get any funds.

“We didn’t get it, and we started seeing a big uptick in new families,” he said.

On a “normal” day, Mickelson said the pantry signs up about 40 families per month. Since June, those numbers have doubled with 60-80 families signing up per month.

But that’s not all. Mickelson started seeing reduced deliveries of food from Roadrunner Foodbank and other providers in July. Intakes are going up and food is going down, he said.

“We were on a Zoom (call) with Roadrunner Foodbank two weeks ago today, and since we’re part of the Feeding America, the TEFAB (Emergency Food Assistance Program), they basically said, ‘Expect another 45% reduction,’” Mickelson said.

The pantry did get produce, baked goods and small canned goods, but that was it, he added.

Mickelson has also seen an increase of people who have been furloughed by the government coming to them for help and to help. He said he has volunteers that are getting a third of SNAP electronic benefit transfer, known as EBT, card money.

One thing he said people might not understand from the perspective of the pantries is the fact that they are spending money on resources and food.

“I’m spending money to buy food,” he said.

Mickelson, who worked in advertising at the Observer before retiring, is used to not getting into the politics.

“Nobody talks politics here, but now they’re talking,” he said.

He added that he has never seen anything like what is happening now.

Despite the issues, people in the community have stepped up and have been supporting the pantry, including upcoming donations from the Rio Rancho Police Department and Rio Rancho Public Schools. They also received big donations from people in the community, a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield and more. The money from BCBS actually offset the funds the pantry lost from the federal cuts, he added.

“Donations are the backbones,” Mickelson said.

Though he tries to remain neutral during all of the turmoil, he couldn’t help getting emotional about the situation.

“My first couple weeks here, I didn’t know I could handle it emotionally, and there are times I still feel it,” he said with tears in his eyes. “I think if you’re human, and you see this and experience it, you can’t help but get a little emotional.”

Donations are being accepted at the pantry location at 1030 Veranda Road.