Central Pa. food banks see demand surge as SNAP eligibility rules tighten

SNAP enrollment fell 11% in a year as expanded work requirements take effect

• Katie Knol/WITF
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  Katie Knol is WITF's General Assignment Reporter & Host.
  
  She graduated from Penn State University in 2024, earning bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science. She has also worked at WPSU, the News Lab at Penn State, The Daily Collegian and CommRadio.

Central Pennsylvania’s food banks are seeing increasing demand following eligibility changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, that are kicking people off the program and causing confusion.

Pennsylvanians enrolled in SNAP decreased by 11% in the past year, from 1.96 million in May 2025 to 1.75 million as of June 2026, according to the state Department of Human Services.

DHS projected that about 144,000 people would no longer receive benefits due to new eligibility requirements passed last year through President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill.

The changes expanded work requirements to some SNAP recipients. The age range subject to the requirements increased from 18 to 54 years old to 18 to 64. Parents and caregivers whose youngest child is 14 or older must now meet the work requirements, rather than receiving an exemption until their youngest child turns 18.  Exemptions were also removed for veterans, homeless individuals and foster youth under 25 years old.

Shila Ulich, CEO of Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, said the food banks are there to help food-insecure households, but it isn’t a replacement for SNAP. Central Pennsylvania Food Bank has seen an increase of nearly 5% in non-SNAP visitors.

“For every one meal we deliver in the charitable food network, SNAP delivers nine, so that’s a huge impact,” she said. “It’s the most immediate social service network safety net that we have, where individuals have the ability to go and choose the foods that are right for them and their families.”

The nonprofit serves 27 counties in the midstate and helps more than 278,000 people each month through its 1,100 local agencies and three “healthy food hubs,” according to its website.

Ulrich said the food bank has heard anecdotal accounts from people struggling to navigate the new requirements. 

One woman in York County reported she was going hungry every week because expanded work requirements meant she couldn’t receive benefits anymore. In another case, a single dad wasn’t getting SNAP after being out of his job on short-term disability. Central Pennsylvania Food Bank helped him get the necessary medical exemptions.

Others may still qualify for SNAP but are confused by the “daunting” new requirements and additional paperwork, Ulrich said.

“We want to help, and we want to make sure people know that SNAP is still available,” she said. “You may have to work through some new eligibility requirements, but we have great staff here able to help do that.”

As demand rises, CEO of York County Food Bank Jennifer Brillhart said donations are declining, too. Food is becoming more expensive, so donors and the food bank aren’t able to stretch their dollars as far.

The York County Food Bank has seen a 27% increase in the number of residents using its services. In 2025, they reported serving 40,000 people each month.

“Just like everyone’s struggling in terms of those higher food costs, our food banks are as well, because we’re also having to now purchase food at a higher cost,” she said. “And on top of that, receiving less food donations than we’ve received in past years, so we’re having to give out a little bit less and do more with limited support.”

When costs throughout the economy rise, Brillhart said households sometimes have to make difficult decisions about what bills they’re going to pay.

And with people no longer being enrolled in SNAP, food banks are becoming a major source of nutrition, she said.

“Our food banks and our food pantries are meant to be supplemental,” Brillhart said. “Unfortunately, what we’re seeing now is that some folks are utilizing food pantries and food banks as their primary source, and that’s always difficult on us.”

She said they’re hoping to meet the increased need by expanding their volunteer force and reaching out to companies to get additional financial support.