These Philly-area restaurants and grocers are giving out free food during the SNAP pause

As Pennsylvania residents face the threat of losing food assistance, local businesses and organizations are stepping up to offer free meals and groceries. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will freeze at the start of November due to the ongoing government shutdown, leaving nearly 2 million residents without access to these vital funds.

Several restaurants in the Philly region have partnered with local food banks and Meals on Wheels to provide free meals to families and individuals affected by the shutdown. Juana Tamale, a Mexican restaurant in Passyunk Avenue, will offer two tacos or a quesadilla, chips, rice, beans, and a churro for free until SNAP benefits resume. Customers simply need to show their EBT cards.

Töska, a Mount Airy brewery and restaurant, is also giving away free cheese pizzas to customers who present their EBT cards. The shop will continue to offer this promotion as long as the government standoff continues.

Meanwhile, Center City Pretzel Co. in the Italian Market will give out three soft pretzels for free to anyone showing their EBT card. Owner Andrew Cunningham has expressed hope that word of the offering will spread and attract more customers.

Other local businesses are also participating in the effort. Riverwards Produce, a fruit and veggie shop with locations in Old City and Fishtown, plans to assemble 200 boxes of food for distribution. The shop has raised over $4,000 to support this initiative and is encouraging anyone who wants to get involved to reach out.

Rowhouse Grocery is also offering a "community card" that applies discounts to customers impacted by the loss of SNAP benefits. Neighbors can contribute to the card's pool either in-person or online.

South Philly Food Co-op, another local organization, is also putting together boxes of pantry staples to feed families during the shutdown. Each collection comes with enough items to feed a family for several weeks and is seeking donations to support this effort.

As the government standoff continues, these local businesses and organizations are providing vital support to those affected by the loss of SNAP benefits.

I feel so bad for those people in PA who are gonna lose their food assistance... like how can we even live without that? These local businesses and orgs are being super awesome though! It's amazing to see them come together to help each other out. Töska's free cheese pizzas and Juana Tamale's tacos are, btw, on point . And I love that Riverwards Produce is assembling 200 boxes of food... that's like, a whole lotta goodness! The community card idea at Rowhouse Grocery is also genius . It just goes to show that even in tough times, there's always someone willing to lend a helping hand .

I'm glad to see some good Samaritans stepping up in Philly but how reliable are these food banks and organizations? Can we get more info on their track record? I don't want people relying on handouts from just anyone. What's the budget behind all this? Who's footing the bill? Are they not using taxpayer dollars for a change of circumstances like this?

I'm so frustrated about the government shutdown again . It's just not fair that people in PA have to worry about losing their food assistance. I mean, who can afford to go hungry? But on a positive note, it's amazing to see all these local businesses and organizations stepping up to help out. Like, who wouldn't want a free taco from Juana Tamale? ️ It's just what we need right now - some kindness and generosity. And I love that Rowhouse Grocery is offering discounts for people affected by the shutdown - it's about time someone did something to support our community. Let's hope these efforts can make a real difference!

its good to see ppl stepping up in philly to help out those who need food assistance but gotta wonder how sustainable this is gonna be once the shutdown ends? i mean, i get it, these businesses want to help & all that, but what about when the funds dry up? theres still so many ppl struggling with food insecurity in philly... hope they're thinking long-term on this one

omg ppl r doin thier part 2day i no a mexican resturant in philly its givin away tacos 4 free 2 familez who r losin ther SNAP benifits ️ wat a blessin!!! also i heard about this brewery thats makin cheese pizzas 4 ppl with EBT cards töska is the name i thot it wuz cool that centur city prezel co is givin away pretzels 2 rowhouse grocery & south philly food coop r doin thier part too lets all support each other thru this tough time

The US gov't shutdown is having a huge impact on people's lives. It's crazy that some ppl have to worry about not having access to food. Local businesses r stepping up big time, tho! Offering free meals & groceries is literally lifesaving. I mean, who wouldn't want two tacos & chips for free? Töska's cheese pizzas are also a great touch. What's even better is that ppl like Andrew Cunningham from Center City Pretzel Co r using their businesses to help others. It just goes to show that kindness can come in many forms. We should all be supporting these local heroes & doing our part to help those in need.

I mean, great, another bunch of rich people deciding to do something "good" because it's good PR ... just so everyone knows they're not completely heartless. Restaurants and businesses are offering free food and groceries, but let's be real, it's probably just a tax write-off for them too . I'm sure the owners of these places are really making a sacrifice by giving away their precious profits... NOT . Meanwhile, people who actually need this support will still go hungry because the government can't even agree on how to pay for it .

Wow - People in Philly are literally stepping up to help each other out with free meals & groceries during this crazy shutdown

awww man this is so heartwarming I'm literally so glad to see ppl like Juana Tamale and Töska stepping up to help out their neighbors in need. It's crazy that we're even having to deal with a gov shutdown like this, but at least some good comes of it. I hope more businesses get on board with this, too...like, what if every restaurant had an EBT card special? Wouldn't that be something?

its so bad rn food assistance for pennsylvania residents is about to freeze in november and nearly 2 million ppl will be left without access to groceries businesses r banding together tho like juana tamale and toska brewery offering free grub to those who need it most, and riverwards produce assembling 200 boxes of food its a small step but still a lifesaver

Food assistance crisis in PA: stats matter! Did you know that 1 in 7 Pennsylvanians struggle with food insecurity? That's over 3 million people! The gov shutdown is gonna affect nearly 2 million SNAP beneficiaries, leaving them without funds for months . But on the bright side, local businesses are stepping up to help! Here are some stats:
- Juana Tamale offers free meals to over 50 families per day (avg $10 value!)
- Töska's free cheese pizzas rack up over 200 slices daily
- Riverwards Produce raises $4,000+ in a single week for food boxes
- Center City Pretzel Co. gives away 100 soft pretzels per day (worth over $1,000!)
- South Philly Food Co-op collects 500 pantry staple boxes so far

These community efforts are giving hope to those in need!

OMG, this is like, so cool!!! I mean, I'm all about supporting our neighbors in need, especially when it comes to food. The fact that local businesses are stepping up and offering free meals and groceries is just amazing. I wish more people would do the same - it's not just about helping those who can't afford food, but also building a stronger community.

And can we talk about how genius it is to use EBT cards to get these freebies? It's like, the government might be shutting down, but our neighbors aren't! They're still getting support from the people around them. I'm definitely going to check out Juana Tamale and Töska when they offer their promotions - tacos and cheese pizzas for everyone?! Yes, please!

The fact that Rowhouse Grocery is offering a community card with discounts is also super clever. It's like a way to show solidarity and support without having to do too much extra work. And South Philly Food Co-op assembling boxes of pantry staples... I mean, I don't know how they're going to keep up with all the donations, but it's great that they're trying!

Overall, this is just a really positive vibe - we might be in the midst of a government shutdown, but our community isn't letting that bring us down. We're coming together and showing that even in tough times, there's always hope and support to be found

Ugh, it's heartbreaking that so many ppl in PA are struggling because of the gov shutdown. But I'm literally so proud of all these businesses coming together to help out! It's amazing to see them open their doors and offer free meals & groceries to those who need it most. And the EBT card thingy is genius - no one should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from.

And I love that Riverwards Produce is assembling 200 boxes of food ! It's not just a matter of throwing some money at the problem, but actually putting in effort and resources to make a real difference. And Rowhouse Grocery's community card idea is genius - it's like a big ol' support system for neighbors .

I just wish more ppl would step up and help out . I mean, we can all do our part by volunteering, donating, or just spreading the word about these amazing initiatives. Let's come together as a community to support each other during tough times !

OMG, y'all! I'm so impressed by how quickly Philly's local businesses are stepping up to help out their neighbors in need! It's like they're showing that community spirit is still alive and kicking . I mean, who needs the government to do something when we've got people like Juana Tamale and Töska just giving away food for free? That's what I call a real hero moment! And it's not just restaurants, either - local businesses are coming together to collect food and supplies, too. Rowhouse Grocery's community card is genius, btw... who wouldn't want to support their neighbors in need?

OMG, I'm totally appalled that our government shutdown is putting families in Philly at risk of losing food assistance . But on a more positive note, local businesses like Juana Tamale and Töska are stepping up to help out – it's amazing to see them partnering with food banks and Meals on Wheels to provide free meals ! And I love that Riverwards Produce is assembling 200 boxes of food for distribution . It's clear that our community is coming together to support each other during this tough time . Let's keep spreading the word about these local initiatives and show some love to our awesome businesses !

I'm like totally bummed about the gov't shutdown, but I gotta give props to all these amazing Philly businesses that are stepping up to help out their neighbors! They're literally saving the day with free meals and groceries for people who need it most. Töska's cheese pizzas and Center City Pretzel Co.'s soft pretzels sound like a total game-changer - I'd totally swing by for those! The fact that they're using their own resources to make a difference is just so inspiring... let's keep supporting each other, you know?

I'm telling ya, it's like they're trying to control our food too! First, it's a shutdown, then suddenly we gotta pay for our own meals? This is what I call a clever trick to keep us in debt and distracted. But you know who's really getting fed off this situation? The corporations and the rich folks, that's who! They're making bank off the government shutdown, while the regular people are struggling to put food on the table.

And have you noticed how all these businesses are stepping up with free meals and groceries? It's just a PR stunt to make us feel good about the situation. Meanwhile, they're getting all the attention and goodwill vibes from it! I'm not saying there aren't some genuinely good people in this world, but let's keep our wits about us here... something fishy is going on!