El Camino College’s food pantry has been serving more community members and students with food as federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program lapsed this month due to the government shutdown, college staff said.

At least 100 community members and between 150 to 200 students have been visiting the Warrior Pantry recently, which offers groceries, personal care items and emergency supplies to all students.

Basic Needs Center Coordinator Sharonda Barksdale said there have been about twice to three times as many visitors to the pantry than usual.

“We have it fully stocked for students, they can come and take advantage of it,” Basic Needs Center Coordinator Sharonda Barksdale said.

People can visit the pantry once a day, every day that it is open in the morning and afternoon from Tuesday to Thursday each week.

Food donated by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank is available to community members visiting the pantry.

Funding for SNAP benefits, which is offered in California as CalFresh, stopped on Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown, affecting over 41.7 million people who rely on assistance for themselves and their families.

“I feel like it affects me in so many ways because I’m having to find other resources like food pantries… instead of relying on stamps,” respiratory care major Jazmin Ibarra, 32, said.

Many of these students already balance the cost of school, transportation and rent with part-time and full-time jobs.

Without SNAP, groceries become nearly impossible to afford.

Ibarra, who works while attending ECC as a full time student, said there is misinformation that people who receive food assistance are lazy or don’t have jobs.

“Most people that receive SNAP do have jobs, but they don’t earn enough money to live off of their wages,” she said.

Barksdale said to use the pantry, students need to be enrolled in at least one unit, bring a photo ID and fill out an intake form with the Basic Needs Center.

Community members must sign into to the pantry with their name, household size, city and zip code.

“I live nearby. My neighbor told me about the food pantry. I come every Wednesday. I get fresh fruit, vegetables like lettuce,” community member Angel Nieves, 76, said.

Barksdale said people can get involved by providing donations, whether that is by bringing items or giving money to the Foundation‘s Basic Needs account.

Barksdale said students are doing “the best they can,” and that food insecurity in college is real.

“Even for students who still live at home, just understanding that everyone’s home life is not the same. Everyone’s struggles are not the same and that living at home doesn’t mean that you’re necessarily taken care of,” she said.

She added that a lot of students go to school and work in effort to support their families, which could include supporting their parents and grandparents.

People can visit the pantry once a day, every day that it is open from Tuesday to Thursday each week.

Computer science major Julian Ortiz, 20, comes to the pantry every week on Wednesdays.

“There’s a lot of students who aren’t able to afford a lot of things, for every major you need to buy the books, there’s a lot you need to buy. So sometimes you got to set aside money for that instead of necessities like food and stuff,” he said.

More information on Basic Needs Center services, including CalFresh food assistance, can be found here.

Editor-in-Chief Nikki Yunker contributed to this story.