GRAHAM COUNTY — With furloughed and essential federal workers having missed at least one full paycheck, and the suspension of SNAP benefits effective Nov. 1, due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, which is at Day 36 as of Wednesday, Nov. 5, a few Gila Valley entities have stepped up to help.
The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona has compiled a list of food resources throughout Southeastern Arizona.
In Graham County:
- Bylas Food Distribution serves on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, starting at 10 a.m., at Rainbow City Circle No. 2, in San Carlos
- Our Neighbor’s Farm and Pantry serves Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to noon, at 1020 S. 10th Ave., in Safford
- SEACAP serves Mondays through Thursdays, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., at 283 W. 5th St., in Safford
- St. Vincent DePaul serves Tuesdays through Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to noon, at 221 E. Main St., in Safford
- Thatcher Mobile Community Food Bank serves the second Wednesday of every month, from 9-10:30 a.m., at 3883 W. Ballpark St., in Thatcher
In Greenlee County:
- The Clifton Food Bank serves the second Friday of each month, from 9:30-11 a.m., at 375 Shannon Road, in Clifton
- The Duncan Food Bank serves the fourth Tuesday of every month, from 9-10:30 a.m., at 37 Gale Ave., in Duncan
The City of Safford is offering unpaid federal workers extensions to pay utility bills. Applications will be accepted at the Safford Utility Office inside City Hall any time during the month, but no later than five days after shut-off notices have been issued.
The extended due date will be the 10th working day from the final day applications are accepted, and up to two extensions will be permitted within a six-month timeframe.
Graham County Electric Cooperative and Town of Thatcher Utilities are also offering to help unpaid federal workers impacted by the shutdown.
“We do not have a specific policy in place, but we’re aware of the issue and we will work with our customers to make arrangements that work for them, including waiting until the shutdown has ended and they receive their paychecks,” Thatcher Town Manager Heath Brown said in a text to Gila Valley Central.
Safford Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated more than 1,100 pounds of food and $250 in cash to Our Neighbor’s Farm and Pantry, according to the ONFP social media accounts.
And the Double R Communications Elementary School Food Drive to help Our Neighbor’s Farm and Pantry is ongoing now.
Students at Graham County elementary schools bring as many non-perishable food items as possible to class, and the class with the most items in each school receives a Domino’s pizza party, cupcakes from Creative Custom Cakes, a trophy from Trophies N’ Tees and a visit from the PHI Air Medical helicopter.
The deadline to donate is Thursday, Nov. 20.
