photo by: Shelley Hanson

Maria Miller and father Todd Miller, who co-own Neely’s Grocery in East Wheeling, plan to offer a 10 percent discount to SNAP recipients starting Saturday on milk, bread, lunch meat and cheese.

WHEELING — A neighborhood grocery is stepping up to the plate to help SNAP recipients during the federal government shutdown.

Neely’s Grocery of East Wheeling is scheduled Saturday to begin giving a 10% discount to SNAP/EBT cardholders on milk, lunch meat and cheese and bread purchased at the store.

Money for SNAP runs out today because the federal government is still shut down and Congress is not funding the benefit for November. With no SNAP benefits available, millions of people across the United States will be forced to go without those benefits.

Maria Miller, who co-owns Neely’s with her father, Todd Miller, on Thursday said her store actually started brainstorming new ways to give back to the community last Christmas. But after news that the government shutdown would impact SNAP benefits, Miller said she wanted to do the discount also.

“We want to help our customers maintain dignity and get the access they need to the staples,” she said. “I wish we could offer free stuff but we have bills to pay, so we will do what we can.”

Miller said her customers have been expressing concern about the shutdown and loss of benefits.

“A majority of our customers buy their groceries on EBT. … We have customers who have been nervous recently, particularly those with young children have been expressing how scared they are not for themselves; they don’t want their kids to go hungry,” she said, noting some parents said they would forgo eating to keep their children fed.

“I heard that just once and I knew we had to do something,” she added.

Miller said they will continue the SNAP discount as long as there is no SNAP funding. In mid-November the store also plans to start its Anonymous Angels Wall to help feed anyone in need. The wall will contain tickets for staples that can be purchased for free. Neely’s aims to match monetary donations made to the wall.

“I would love to see the whole community get involved and step up for each other. It’s a dark world. We have to be the light and spread the light,” she said.

Neely’s was founded by Miller’s late aunt, Nancy Neely, and her husband Vernon in 1956. They often helped people in need who sometimes could not afford to pay for items right away. Meanwhile, the original angels program was started by Miller’s aunt Beth Jochum, who would quietly make donations to help people buy groceries especially at Christmastime.

“When aunt Beth passed away we wanted to carry on her legacy,” she said. “She would come in and give money and say, ‘Use this to make someone’s Christmas better.'”

When Miller decided to come back to the Wheeling area after law school she realized she wanted to be in the family grocery business. Now she is enjoying it and hoping to continue the family’s long legacy of serving the neighborhood.

“She was a phenomenal woman,” she said of her aunt Nancy Neely. “It had a lasting impact. This store has served the community for 70 years now.”

Miller also works as a teacher at The Linsly School, where she is a member of the Class of 2009.

Todd Miller said he was happy that his daughter wanted to help take over the store.

“She’s done a wonderful job. I’m proud of her,” he said.