Fallout from the longest-ever government shutdown, cuts to federal food assistance programs and high grocery prices have made food unaffordable for many people, even in relatively wealthy Montgomery County.

Some are relying on the same organizations to which they used to donate.

Pantry managers and volunteers are adapting to help as many people as they can.

Compared to years past, food pantries in Montgomery County — home to more federal workers than any other in Maryland — have had to feed more families. And some have seen a drop in donations.

At least one organization has a police officer present at its distribution events, as volunteers have increasingly faced verbal abuse when food runs out.

In the days before Thanksgiving, food pantries are heading into their busiest stretch of the year.

“We always know we have an uptick in November and December,” said Karen Frank, one of five volunteers managing Bethesda Help.

When Frank tells friends about her volunteer work, she says “their first reaction is, ‘Really? There are hungry people in Bethesda?’”

People in all parts of the county need food assistance, though that fact may be more hidden in generally affluent areas like Bethesda, where a family struggling to make ends meet may live in a low-priced unit that’s part of an expensive apartment complex.

Doing more with less

Bethesda Help doesn’t give out food at set locations. Volunteers take food to anyone who asks and lives within the organization’s delivery area, which includes Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Kensington and parts of Potomac, Silver Spring and Wheaton.

In addition to shelf-stable groceries and after-school snack bags for children, volunteers provide families with grocery store gift cards once per month. Families of up to three receive $25, and households with four or more get $50.

Thanks to a year’s worth of fundraising, the organization gives out extra gift cards during the holiday season.

Frank said rising demand has contributed to a backlog. In some cases, people have had to wait more than a week, though the goal is to deliver food the day after someone calls.

“If it’s an emergency and someone is absolutely out of food, we will deliver to them immediately,” she said.

The organization recently began scheduling an additional delivery driver every day to meet increased demand and reduce wait times. Volunteers, Frank said, have risen to the occasion.

At the Upcounty Hub, which provides food and other essentials in Northern Montgomery County, staff and volunteers reported lines of cars stretching farther than they could see.

To keep up with demand, volunteers began giving out food at more sites. And, once the government shut down, they held weekly distribution events specifically for furloughed federal workers.

Storage space presents another challenge.

“From September to now, we’ve needed to triple our space,” said Melissa Regan, a licensed social worker at the Upcounty Hub. “And that wasn’t enough.”

Safety concerns

At the Rainbow Community Development Center in Silver Spring, volunteers have been stepping up their hours to feed as many people as they can, said the Rev. Patricia Drumming, executive director.

But donations are down, a trend Drumming has seen since the government shut down.

She said shortfalls have prompted instances of “aggressive behavior” from a few recipients.

Many people express gratitude, Drumming said, but some frustrated clients have cursed out members of her team.

Drumming said she understands how stress and uncertainty — especially about affording food — could get the better of people.

“If it were me, maybe I would feel that way,” she said.

Although she encourages volunteers to exercise patience, she won’t tolerate abuse.

Toward the end of summer, the organization arranged for a county police officer to attend food distribution events and restore calm when someone lashes out. She said the officer is “quite a nice, fun guy” who tries to make the long lines less taxing for people.

How to help

While they appreciate food donations, food banks benefit the most from financial contributions, said Heather Bois Bruskin, director of the Montgomery County Office of Food Systems Resilience.

The organizations typically buy in bulk at prices far lower than the supermarket’s.

For people who’d rather donate food, Bruskin recommended patronizing locally owned grocery stores and farmers markets that have lost customers and revenue because of cuts to federal food assistance programs.

Drumming said financial contributions are the most meaningful for the Rainbow Community Development Center. She recommended that people visit the organization’s website and donate via Zeffy, which, unlike other options on the site, doesn’t take out part of the contribution to cover fees.

But she’s grateful for any donation, “snail mail, even,” she said.

Regan, the social worker at the Upcounty Hub, said her group welcomes donations of money and food, and volunteers’ time.

Frank, the Bethesda Help manager, said her organization is always looking for volunteers. She would never discourage food donations, but she and her team prefer financial support, including donations of Giant grocery store gift cards of $20 or $25.

Bruskin encouraged people to continue giving to food pantries after the holiday season, when people tend to donate and volunteer less.

“Even in the new year, the support,” she said, “is needed more than ever.”