A coalition of organizations in Lakewood, including The Root Cafe, Lakewood Community Services Center, Roots of Reverence Herb Shop, Oktober’s, Firehouse Yoga, Revive Space Collective and Lakewood Art Supply, has mobilized to provide free groceries and essential items in response to the recent pause in the distribution of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The mobilization began recently “because of the SNAP benefits not being distributed,” said Galadriel Olsen, owner of Lakewood Art Supply, which is offering a community fridge. The SNAP distribution ended in November because of the government shutdown, leaving many families struggling to put food on the table. SNAP provides nutrition assistance to help needy families purchase healthy food and work toward self-sufficiency.
The collective efforts have already helped dozens of families who might otherwise go without food. “The goals for Oktober’s pantry are to provide accessible food — via Good Samaritan law — to those without SNAP benefits right now,” said owner Jessica Oktober. Oktober’s pantry focuses on supplying food to those who cannot afford it, offering canned goods, fresh produce, and other essentials to fill the gap left by the pause in benefits.
The Root Cafe, one of the collaborating organizations, maintains a community pantry and fridge. Miles Evans, an employee at the cafe and Lakewood High School student, explained the setup: “We have a community pantry and a community fridge that people can drop off food to, and then anyone in need can pick up anything they want.” Evans emphasizes that the pantry operates on a principle of dignity: “There’s no shame. You get what you need … We don’t really judge.” While they currently do not deliver food, the organizations provide an accessible, supportive food resource for the community.
The Lakewood Community Services Center Food Pantry is a vital resource for residents facing food insecurity. It currently serves about 1,150 households, providing groceries individualized to each family’s needs — equivalent to “three meals a day,” said Executive Director Trish Rooney.
The pantry emphasizes individualized assistance and offers a wide range of dietary options, including vegetarian choices and kid-friendly cereals. “We try to give more vegetarian options than other places,” Rooney said. As demand continues to grow, Rooney noted, “This week, we had 52 new people sign up.”
Other local groups are contributing to the effort. Ann Walsh, an instructor at Firehouse Yoga, said people can bring in food to help those in need. “We have asked our students to bring in food like pasta that they don’t eat,” Walsh said. Since starting its food pantry recently, Firehouse Yoga has collected 30 to 40 pounds of food.
Oktober commented on the broader community commitment, noting, “This is an ongoing effort to give the community the chance to help each other.” Most of the food distributed by the pantries is either donated or purchased by the organizations.
This holiday season, let’s come together to lift up our Lakewood neighbors. Together, we can make this season brighter and remind everyone in Lakewood that they are valued and cared for.
