Photo: MySnapMap.com
WELLESLEY, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A high school senior in Wellesley has created a website to help feed the hungry, as millions of Americans go without federal food aid.
The site, called MySnapMap.Com, provides details on local restaurants that are giving out free or reduced meals.
Sami Juma said he was heartened to see restaurants lending a hand, and wanted to put that information all in one place. He got to work on the site over the weekend.
“I was kinda blown away because these aren’t corporations with large profit margins, these are just people that have to pay their own bills,” Juma said.
The virtual map is only a few days old, but Juma said people have already been reaching out to recommend more restaurants or telling him that the website is a lifesaver.
About one in eight people rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, but the government shutdown is putting those benefits at risk.
The Department of Agriculture said funding for the program would run out Nov. 1 due to the shutdown, but later announced it would partially fund the benefits this month after a pair of lawsuits.
Still, the Trump administration said recipients could see delays of a few weeks up to several months.
“Just as long as there’s this big issue, I wanna help be part of the solution,” Juma said.
Juma has added over a 100 restaurants and counting. Most are in Massachusetts, but the list includes places from Maine to New York. In the future, Juma said he wants to expand to the Midwest, or even the West Coast.
Each point on the map has a pop-up with information, like “Free meals for families in need - just talk to front desk.”
“I’ve seen a lot of just completely free or completely free for children, like no questions asked,” Juma said. “That was incredible to see this trust in the public.”
WBZ’s Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.