KarunaNews Story

Alicia Spradley, a resident of Chicago started to be concerned about the impact of the pause on SNAP benefits – for her neighbors. Having seen the news that federal food aid was pausing at the start of November due to the government shutdown, she worried that her neighbors might soon go hungry. Looking for a way to help, she came across a post on a Facebook community group about becoming a "grocery buddy" — someone who buys groceries for a stranger or anyone at risk of losing their food benefits. Without hesitation, Spradley wrote her own callout, offering support. This phenomenon has been playing out on other social media platforms as well. Sometimes people post asking for help, other times people in a position to help buy groceries offer to do so. And, when need and community care meet, often both parties are left deeply touched by the experience. One grocery buddy recounted his experience, saying, “ She kind of stopped me at the end and was like, 'I really didn't know what I was gonna do, so thank you,.” They both had tears in their eyes as he handed her the groceries.