Hinsdale Pizza House Provides Free Meals Amid SNAP Benefit Concerns
On October 30, when Hinsdale Pizza House owner Jason Reed learned that approximately 1.1 million state residents risked losing their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, he decided to act.
"It really struck a chord," Reed said. "I have kids and I couldn't imagine [having to say] 'we’re not going to eat for a while.'"
Rather than advertising a promotion, Reed offered free meals on the restaurant’s Facebook page. He wrote,
"I know there are some scary times for a lot of families just around the corner... If you are parents with children and are about to lose your financial food aid [SNAP] ... The least I can do is give out a couple of free pizzas to help with at least one meal."
Initially, Reed expected to pay for about 20 meals himself. However, thanks to generous community donations, he has since provided over 200 free meals to 43 families and plans to assist at least 60 more families in the coming week.
"I wasn't asking for help [with the meals]," Reed explained. "I didn't think it was going to get this big. People just started coming in and gave me a little bit of money to help out."
Reed attributes the strong community support to the town’s character.
Author’s Summary
Jason Reed transformed his initial offer of 20 free meals into over 200, powered by donations from his compassionate community amid SNAP uncertainty.