Nebraska For Us grants $10K to Food Bank, hosts gathering focused on food security in metro

Local coalition welcomes nearly 100 guests at Community BBQ for Food Security

OMAHA, Nebraska (July 12, 2026)—Nebraska For Us welcomed Families Over Billionaires to town Sunday as it continued its nationwide bus tour marking this month’s anniversary of the Republican Tax Law. We provided a free lunch to attendees as speakers discussed the challenges associated with cuts to programs like SNAP and Medicaid, along with the soaring cost of living.

“For the past couple of years, we have been beating the drum when it comes to the issue of hunger in our community,” Nebraska For Us State Director Angie Lauritsen said. “We were already hearing concerns about demands and capacity on our area food pantries when SNAP cuts were just a hypothetical proposal. Now, they are reality with SNAP enrollment falling 11% in Nebraska since last July.”

While hosting the event, Nebraska For Us also provided a $10,000 check to Food Bank for the Heartland as pantries in the metro work overtime to meet the growing demand brought on by everything from rising grocery prices to SNAP cuts that every member of Nebraska’s federal delegation voted for.

“The issue of hunger in our area is far bigger than what just the Food Bank can address on its own, but this grant will allow us to get closer to that aim,” said Tim Williams, Director of Government Affairs and Advocacy at Food Bank for the Heartland. “Our community is a generous one that steps up, even when times are as tough as they are right now.”

Additional food pantries across the metro are also dealing with increasing demand as costs continue to rise and SNAP cuts deepen. During the summer months, hunger can increase as schools are on break and families seek alternative forms of childcare. Multiple organizations and officials joined forces to discuss the issues related to food insecurity while also feeding our community.

“The turnout today underscores the true gravity and importance of an issue like this,” Lauritsen said. “Hunger and food insecurity are not limited to one ZIP code, nor one neighborhood. It affects people from all walks of life, and our federal leaders have made choices that are only causing the problem to get worse.”