Clay County Food Pantry Expands Support as SNAP Delays Leave Residents Without Benefits

CLAY COUNTY, N.C. – The Clay County Food Pantry is reporting a significant increase in demand as many local residents continue to face delays in receiving their SNAP benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Pantry officials said they have extended their support to anyone experiencing food insecurity and remain open during their regular distribution hours: Thursdays from 4–6 p.m. and Fridays from 9 a.m.–noon.

The organization noted that while need has grown, community support has risen alongside it. Local farms and nonprofits have played a key role in keeping the pantry’s freezer stocked with high-quality protein. Still Water Farms, Carolina Mountain Trout, and the Venison Donation Program—working in partnership with Adam Farm Processing and North Carolina Hunters for the Hungry—provided recent donations of meat. The pantry also credited local residents and organizations for contributing both financially and through food donations.

The pantry will hold its annual Thanksgiving distribution on Thursday, November 20, and Friday, November 21. Families will be able to receive turkeys, turkey breasts, or small hams, along with traditional holiday side items.

The pantry will be closed on Thanksgiving Day but will reopen on Friday, November 28. Staff expressed gratitude to the community for its continued generosity and offered holiday well-wishes to all residents.