As SNAP cuts loom, St. Paul neighbors feed each other

As food shelves across Minnesota strain under soaring demand and government support wavers, one St. Paul community hub is charting a different path. At Zion Community Commons (ZCC), neighbors aren’t waiting for charity; they are feeding each other.

As of Nov. 1, State officials claimed roughly 440,000-450,000 Minnesotans faced losing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as the federal government shutdown stalled payments. Although the MN Dept of Children & Families has since confirmed that benefits are being processed and distributed on schedule, uncertainty remains.

Many food‑relief programs have been forced to rely on donated or subsidized items to meet demand. But ZCC has taken a different approach: It sources fresh, high‑quality produce directly from Minnesota and Wisconsin farmers and co‑op distributors, and shares it freely with anyone who shows up.

“There are two different food‑justice programs coming out of Zion Community Commons,” said Julian Schauffler, building coordinator for ZCC. “We provide meals and groceries. We serve anyone who shows up. We do not turn people away for lack of funds.”

When ZCC lost its main source of recovered food in March 2024, the organization decided not to revert to the typical charity model. “We were too small and volunteer‑run to work with Second Harvest, so we looked into the idea of purchasing from local farmers, initially modeled on an open market,” Schauffler said. The shift has improved the nutritional quality of food available and redirected thousands of dollars into local farms.

“The charity food system has been running since the 1980s, and food insecurity has not meaningfully changed,” Schauffler added. “In fact, it’s gotten worse.”

In a kitchen filled with volunteers, Ky Williams chopped sweet potatoes while explaining what brings him there: “Honestly, I’m here because I need to be. I need to eat and other people need to eat. The only way we’re going to eat is if we feed us.”

Williams bristled at the term “volunteer.” “Volunteering kind of implies that we’re doing this charitable service, when in reality we’re just like community … being in community,” he said. He added: “Making a friend in this space could save a life. It could be the reason why someone decides to come back.”

For chef and longtime organizer Zachary Hurdle, ZCC’s approach is rooted in reclaiming dignity. “There’s a stigma around being in these spaces. There’s an idea of who would be accessing these resources,” he said. 

“Quality shouldn’t be reserved only for those who can afford it. You can go to Malcolm Yards and get a $25 burger, or you can come here and get the same quality food for free or at whatever cost you’re willing to pay.”

“The only way we’re going to eat is if we feed us.”

The timing of ZCC’s work matters. With SNAP benefits uncertain and federal food‑aid streams scraping thin, the pressure on local systems is acute. According to the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), the longest‑running federal shutdown in U.S. history concluded in mid‑November, and the agency now reports SNAP and MFIP benefits are being distributed on normal schedules. 

But prior delays and funding cuts, including to the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which stripped over 1 million pounds of food from Minnesota shelves this year, illustrate how fragile the system is. 

ZCC’s model — community‑funded, inclusive, and non‑means‑tested — offers one form of resilience. It also underscores a broader shift in thinking: Hunger is not just a charity problem, but a justice issue. In the words of Pastor John Marboe, quoted in a ZCC press release: “Here we are gathering to be community. To care for one another. To co‑create a food resource that does not depend on unreliable government assistance, nor a large charity model … Because everyone deserves this.”

As winter approaches and traditional supports wobble, ZCC is preparing for its largest event of the year. On Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., the commons will host an open‑market with local produce and groceries alongside a chef‑prepared Thanksgiving meal, free and open to all.

“We wanted this process to be inclusive and community‑driven,” said committee member Kristen Eddy. “As neighbors working to address a legacy of racial exclusion, we made it a priority to listen and connect across communities.”

For the St. Paul community, the renaming isn’t just about food, it’s about belonging, stories, and justice. “Symbols matter. It’s a signal to all our community members: You belong here,” Eddy said.

In an era when federal safety nets are uncertain, Zion Community Commons is showing that the strongest support might come from the neighbor next door, neighbors feeding neighbors with no questions asked.

For grocery, meal, and open market schedule, www.zlcmidway.org/calendar.
Lizzy Nyoike is a Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication student with interest in community stories, investigative and multimedia journalism.