10/12/2026
Food pantries see "uptick" as new work and documentation requirements make it harder for some to maintain benefits.
PITTSFIELD — A family of six lost access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program when their teenager got a part-time job.
An elderly person was denied benefits because she was unable to provide the proper documentation for her significant medical expenses, which should have been an exemption.
A single man in recovery is trying to find a job, but a spotty work history has made employment difficult. He wants to meet the work requirements to keep his SNAP benefits, but so far has been unable to find work.
These are a few of the stories food access workers are hearing as changes to work and documentation requirements for SNAP have coincided with an “uptick” in people accessing pantries.
“People are really worried about being able to feed their families,” said Jessica Jones, executive director of The Center in Pittsfield.
The federal “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act signed last summer included a host of adjustments to the SNAP program that restrict eligibility, including requiring 80 hours of work or volunteer a month, according to the Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA). These changes have gone into effect over the course of the last year.
The work requirements now include able-bodied adults without dependents up to age 64, previously 54, as well as parents or caregivers whose youngest dependent is 14 years or older. Stricter rules also mean that veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness and former foster youth are no longer broadly exempt from these work requirements. Refugees and asylum seekers are now ineligible for the program.
Whenever there is a change to SNAP, there’s an increase at food pantries across the county, said Silke Aisenbrey, vice president of operations for the People’s Pantry in Great Barrington. The pantry is in the midst of moving to a bigger space to accommodate more people utilizing it.
"What we see is just an increase in shoppers," Aisenbrey said. “It's like one big package that is just horrible for the already vulnerable population that we're serving."
Since July 2025, the number of Massachusetts households receiving SNAP has fallen 17 percent statewide, according to state data. Across Berkshire County, 2,124 fewer households were receiving SNAP benefits in August 2026 than in July 2025, a 15.3 percent decline. The number of people receiving benefits fell by 4,032, or 18.5 percent, over the same period.
Food pantries across the county have reported increases in visits and new households over the past year, as more people turn to them for help putting food on the table.
Jones, who serves on the DTA advisory council for the area, said caseworkers are also struggling to keep up with demand, answering questions and guiding people through the process.
“I think part of it is not just that they can't get the documentation required, but that it's hard for them to understand what it is they need to submit to begin with,” Jones said. “Like the whole process is really confusing.”
Based on age and income requirements, more than half of Berkshire County residents are eligible for SNAP, Jones said.
“We know that not that many people access SNAP benefits, but you're talking about a majority of people,” Jones said. “You don't know you're sitting next to somebody at work who's on SNAP. They think only what they perceive as poor people get SNAP benefits, but it’s not true.”
Jones said SNAP serves working families, people with disabilities, children and older adults — not just people who are unemployed or unable to work.
“It's families where there's multiple kids and both parents are working and they still can't afford to live,” Jones said. “This impacts a huge number of people.”
When people lose access to SNAP, Jones said, they often turn to food pantries to fill the gap.
For families already struggling to balance food with the cost of rent, utilities and transportation, that can mean another difficult choice.
“Did they buy food instead of paying the gas bill?” Jones said. “So it's really not just that small percentage of people who are severely economically disadvantaged. It's everyday people struggling to make all those things happen with their limited income.”
Talia Lissauer
NEWS REPORTER
Thursday, October 8, 2026
SNAP participation in Berkshire County fell 18.5% as new work and documentation rules leave more residents seeking food aid.
