BY: RF Buche, Founder and President, Team Buche Cares

As many of you have seen in recent days, the federal government shutdown has disrupted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits across South Dakota. According to the South Dakota Department of Social Services, future SNAP funding is not guaranteed, and communities must be ready to help families who face a gap in benefits.

Team Buche Cares was built to respond to moments exactly like this. Instead of focusing solely on our traditional Holiday Meals program, we are immediately pivoting to provide direct food assistance to families most at risk of hunger within the GF Buche Co communities.

If SNAP funds are not released in South Dakota, Team Buche Cares will distribute $100 in grocery certificates per SNAP family household redeemable at Buche Foods and Buche’s Gus Stop. This program ensures families can choose the food they need while supporting local grocery stores that keep our rural economies strong.

We are grateful to the donors whose contributions to the Holiday Meals campaign made this rapid response possible. Your gifts will now feed families during this unprecedented shutdown. The heart of the mission remains the same: no South Dakotan should go hungry.

We invite donors, partners, and community leaders to join us in expanding this effort by going to www.teambuchecares.org. Together, we can ensure our children, elders, veterans, and neighbors have access to food while federal benefits are on hold.

Thank you for your continued partnership and compassion.

As Always,

RF Buche

Founder and President, Team Buche Cares