To the Editor:

There is no denying that right now people are in genuine need of food resources while the SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] program gets caught up in the shutdown. Some of these people have found themselves navigating a situation they haven’t experienced in some time, looking for those resources in a place other than the government pre-filling a debit card for their use at any grocery store.

Recent op-eds and email talking points have used terms like “weaponizing” and “cruel.” However, this game of high-stakes government chicken started long before Nov. 1. Food stamps were not the cause of the impasse, and they likely won’t be the reason the sides come together. If not for anything, however, this may provide just the right opportunity for real people to meet real needs like it was always meant to be.

The food-stamp program, and the overall Great Society platform of the 1960s, had a goal of eliminating poverty and injustice. I think most would agree that we failed to meet this goal. So now, given that understanding, why not try something new (or old depending on your context). What if we returned the onus of caring for neighbors in need back to the people they live near and work with? Decentralized from government-run programs, which have proven to be inefficient, bloated, and misused.

This unfortunate situation could be just what we need for citizens to show their true colors and step up to the occasion. Since the 1960s (and as recently as last year with now a universal free meal program in schools) people have fewer and fewer opportunities to engage in and care for their neighbors in a meaningful way. This has led to even further class divide, has done nothing to eliminate the supposed stigmatization, and decimated the sense of belonging among the residents of New York.

This certainly may come with some pressure on the volunteer organizations, churches, and nonprofits along with some short-term stress for residents navigating a new charity system. But, if the final structure is one that provides stronger interpersonal connections and enables people to prosper while still obtaining the safety net they need, is that not more sustainable?

Free enterprise and capitalism created the massive productivity surplus that ushered in the 1960s’ feeling that we could create a great society anyway. What if we bring that same competitive spirit back to the teetering social-welfare programs? The challenge: Help those in need as best we can. The extra challenge: Do it without using government funds. What would our neighborhoods and cities look like if we try this and it works?

P.S. A little plug for the pantry we support at Bethel Northside Church on Van Vranken Avenue in Schenectady. We will be holding an extra slot of hours for November and December to try and meet the spiked demand. Certainly not the only place in need of extra help but if you have the means to donate time or money, please reach out.

Christopher Longo

Guilderland