Thousands of Montgomery County residents went to the polls to cast their ballots on Election Day, however they didn’t come empty handed.
An abundance of nonperishable objects had been collected at polling places throughout Montgomery County to assist folks impacted by the lack of food help amid the continued federal authorities shutdown, now the longest in U.S. historical past.
“The response is so overwhelming that we haven’t been able to quantify the full impact yet,” stated Montgomery County Democratic Committee Executive Director Chris Thomas.
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The authorities shutdown has resulted in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which successfully ran dry over the weekend. While a federal decide dominated Friday the Trump Administration should use contingency funds for advantages, Montgomery County Commissioners’ Vice Chairwoman Jamila Winder voiced concern for space residents impacted by the stalemate and uncertainty.
“These are parents, these are seniors, these are working people, and most importantly, children, our neighbors, who are already doing everything they can to make ends meet,” she stated throughout an Oct. 23 board assembly.
Montgomery County commissioners designated $500,000 in emergency food assistance Friday. In addition, Thomas stated he noticed a possibility to interact with voters exterior of polling places and solicit food donations.
The assortment effort was deemed “Operation Feeding Hope.”
“It just kind of caught like wildfire,” Thomas stated of the initiative, which “show[ed] that our neighbors and members in the community want to get out and do something good for their fellow neighbors.”
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Items dropped at the polls for donation included baking components, canned items, cereal, fruit and apple sauce, granola bars, pasta, soup, tomato sauce, in addition to paper towels and hygiene merchandise. Boxes had been located at tables exterior polling places throughout Montgomery County.
“I’m hoping this whole box gets full and somebody else gives me a box, and I get to be able to fill that,” stated Cathleen Pagano, a candidate for Lower Gwynedd Township auditor.
Pagano stated round folks donated all through the day at the polling place exterior the Wissahickon School District administration constructing in Lower Gwynedd Township.
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Laura Smith, a Norristown resident and secretary of the George Washington Carver Community Center board secretary, poses for a photograph with food objects collected on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025, exterior the Eisenhower Science and Technology Leadership Academy in Norristown. (Rachel Ravina – MediaNews Group)
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Laura Smith, a Norristown resident and secretary of the George Washington Carver Community Center board secretary, poses for a photograph with food objects collected on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025, exterior the Eisenhower Science and Technology Leadership Academy in Norristown. (Rachel Ravina – MediaNews Group)
Each of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee’s native committees chosen a food pantry for the donations, together with the Patrician Society, Martha’s Choice Marketplace and Mattie Dixon Community Cupboard. Referring to the Ambler-based Mattie Dixon Community Cupboard, Pagano burdened “they’re constantly inundated with people over there” as rising prices of dwelling contribute to elevated want.
“We know that our food pantries are already stretched thin. Federal budget cuts and the lack of state funding have left them struggling to keep up with the demand,” Winder stated.
Laura Smith, a Norristown resident and George Washington Carver Community Center secretary, emphasised that “every little bit helps” with respect to an initiative like this.
She stated between 5 and 10 folks introduced donations Tuesday to the polling place exterior the Eisenhower Science and Technology Leadership Academy in Norristown.
“I’m hoping that they realize that we’re here for them,” Smith stated, stressing that “Norristown’s got you. We’ve got your back and try to do the best job we can.”
Around 85,000 folks reportedly expertise food insecurity in Montgomery County, in line with 2023 figures from Feeding America. Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians are “at risk of losing SNAP benefits,” in line with figures from Gov. Josh Shapiro’s workplace, together with round 63,000 folks in Montgomery County.
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Area residents raised considerations over lack of assets heading into the Thanksgiving holiday.
“People need, and you don’t realize how many older people depend on their SNAP benefits that they’re now not going to get. So how can we feed them? Here’s one way,” Smith stated.
While it’s unclear precisely how a lot food was collected Tuesday, Thomas spotlighted efforts the place between 2,000 and three,000 kilos of food had been gathered, at the committee headquarters in Norristown, 178 containers of food had been assembled in Horsham Township and 288 kilos of food had been collected in Upper Frederick Township.
“It was a Democratic party driven initiative, but the community members itself, it cut across party lines,” Thomas stated. “We had overwhelming support from everyone, and I [am] just really entirely grateful to all of our communities for stepping up to the plate.”
Organizers underscored the gathering effort was not partisan in nature. “I know that in Horsham Township, the local committees coordinated together,” Thomas stated, referring to the county’s Democratic and Republican committees, however stated “it really just depended on the municipality.”Boxes had been labeled “for our neighbors” as distribution efforts are anticipated to proceed all through the week.
“I think it’s just neighbors helping neighbors, and it’s not about which party or whatever, because I … don’t care if you’re a Republican, Democrat or Independent, donate food because there are people in need,” Pagano stated. “We’re not trying to make it a political thing when it comes down to the food, but we just want to be able to help out, whoever that might be and from whatever party.”
The 2025 off-year municipal election featured plenty of judgeships in addition to native and college board races on the poll, which resulted in a 49.79 % voter turnout, in line with unofficial figures up to date early Wednesday.
As the one-two punch of the federal authorities shutdown and state finances deadlock brings rising tensions throughout the nation, members within the food drive hope it can present a possibility for unity.
“Maybe it’ll mitigate some of the divide because we’re just trying to help,” Pagano stated.