SNAP Stories
SNAP is not a handout. It is a critical safety net program that helps people stabilize their households and keep food on the table. Here are their stories.
SNAP Is a Lifeline—Here’s Why
There are many myths about people who rely on SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) to purchase food. One of the most common misconceptions is that people who use SNAP are looking for handouts or do not want to work. However, data on SNAP recipients paint a very different story.
According to Feeding America, 86% of SNAP participants who are not disabled were employed in 2024, yet wages for many low-income workers have not kept pace with the rising cost of groceries, housing, health care, transportation, and other basic needs.
Yes, there are people who rely on SNAP who are not in the workforce. They include seniors on fixed incomes, people with disabilities, and children, who make up a significant share of SNAP participants nationwide.
Contact the Food Bank’s free and confidential SNAP Outreach Team at 413-992-6204 or visit our SNAP page to learn more.
Beyond the Statistics
Real People. Real Stories.
The Food Bank’s SNAP Stories is a multimedia series centering the voices of people across Western Massachusetts who have relied on SNAP to help access groceries. Their stories reflect resilience, care for family, and contribution—not stereotypes.
These are workers, caregivers, volunteers, parents, and elders doing their best in an economy that increasingly makes it more difficult to get by.
Wa Net Matthews, Volunteer, Allen Street Mobile Food Bank
“People are living in their cars.
People really need this.”
For nearly a decade, Wa Net Matthews, a graduate student in social work, has volunteered at the Food Bank’s Allen Street Mobile Food Bank in Springfield. Over time, she has seen community needs change—most recently, with more people seeking food assistance for the first time.
Moxon Street Mobile Food Bank guest
“We’ve been driving around all day just looking for food.”
One young father with two children—and another on the way—lost a stable job during a company layoff. Despite working long hours across multiple low-wage, part-time jobs, he and his family were unable to keep their apartment. SNAP and visits to the Mobile Food Bank have helped them access food during an incredibly unstable period.
Chicopee Mobile Food Bank guest
“It’s tough. I just keep on trying like I always do—for my boys.”
After nearly 20 years working as a licensed practical nurse, a Chicopee resident lost her job in 2025. While continuing to work part-time and applying for full-time positions in health care, she found herself facing food insecurity for the first time.
As a single parent of teenagers, she is doing everything she can—leaning on family, visiting food pantries, attending Mobile Food Bank distributions, and accessing SNAP support—to care for her children during a difficult transition.
Chicopee Mobile Food Bank guest
“SNAP is about nutritional value. If you can’t eat, you can’t work.”
A part-time home health aide living in Chicopee visits the Mobile Food Bank and local pantries when her paycheck falls short. Rising costs for housing, health care, and groceries mean that even with steady work, she can’t always make ends meet. She speaks openly about rejecting shame and encourages empathy for anyone navigating similar circumstances.
Liz Budd
“It took me feeling desperate to apply for SNAP.”
When Liz Budd, Grants Manager at the Food Bank, graduated from college in 2008, she was met with a financial crisis in the United States that dampened her hopes of finding a well-paying job that would allow her to pay her bills and save for the future. She turned to SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps. In part one of the Food Bank’s SNAP Stories, Liz shares her own experiences and talks about the stigma around food insecurity and SNAP benefits.
The Food Bank offers free and confidential SNAP Outreach and Food Assistance Navigation (FAN) services to help individuals and families explore benefits and resources that can ease financial strain.