In just over a week, nearly 42 million Americans who rely on federal food assistance face the prospect of losing their benefits due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP, provides an average of $187 per month to one in eight U.S. residents, making it the nation’s largest anti-hunger initiative. For many families, the program is the difference between putting food on the table and going hungry.
Shari Jablonowski, 66, a widow living outside Pittsburgh, is one of the millions bracing for the potential loss of SNAP benefits. She supports her disabled adult nephew, who receives $291 monthly in food aid, along with two nieces she helped raise. Even before this looming crisis, Shari says, “This month, I could not afford to pay … anything, gas or electric.” She prioritized her car payment because she depends on her vehicle for doctors’ appointments, visiting her mother, and transportation for her niece’s job.
If SNAP funding disappears in November, Shari worries she may have to choose between food and heat. “I am very concerned I will not have heat,” she says. The disruption would also put Thanksgiving at risk for her family.
SNAP is essential for millions of Americans. “The vast majority are children, working people, older Americans, veterans, and people with disabilities,” says Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America. “If the SNAP program shuts down, we will face the most mass hunger suffering in America since the Great Depression.”
Unlike Medicaid, which pays providers directly, and cash welfare, which has been significantly reduced since the 1990s, SNAP provides direct assistance to recipients, giving them the flexibility to cover basic needs like groceries. Berg emphasizes, “The only thing that really helps moderate-income and low-income Americans meet their basic monthly expenses is the SNAP program. And that’s why it’s so vital, not only in terms of fighting hunger, but keeping tens of millions of Americans afloat each month.”
The shutdown also threatens WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, which serves seven million pregnant women, new mothers, and young children. While the Trump administration redirected $300 million in tariff funds to keep WIC afloat temporarily, that funding is expected to run out in the coming weeks. Some states may attempt to fill the gap, but many lack the resources to do so.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has warned that SNAP funding will run out on November 1. States have been told that payments are on hold “until further notice.” The agency places the blame on Democrats, who insist they will not vote to end the shutdown unless Republicans agree to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, citing the risk of soaring health insurance premiums.
A USDA spokesperson told NPR, “We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. Continue to hold out for healthcare for illegals or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive timely WIC and SNAP allotments.” It’s worth noting that undocumented immigrants are not eligible for the Affordable Care Act.
Food aid advocates argue that USDA has the resources and legal obligation to continue funding SNAP. Katie Bergh, senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, says the agency has billions in contingency reserves. “That wouldn’t cover the entire amount, but the agency could legally transfer additional funds, as they have done for the WIC program,” she explains. The origins of U.S. food benefits date back to the Great Depression, making any potential lapse unprecedented.
Adding to the uncertainty, new work requirements tied to SNAP benefits are set to take effect November 1. Passed by Congressional Republicans earlier this year, these requirements are expected to remove 2.4 million people from the program over the next decade. For some recipients, the timing could be a double blow—facing both potential benefit loss and new work obligations simultaneously.
States and local authorities are mobilizing in response. The U.S. Conference of Mayors sent a letter urging USDA to avoid disrupting SNAP benefits, citing the program’s role in stabilizing local economies. Each month, the federal government distributes $8 billion in SNAP benefits, automatically loaded onto debit-like cards that can be used at more than 250,000 food retailers nationwide. Berg notes that these payments are a critical lifeline not just for families, but also for small businesses.
States are preparing for a surge in demand at food banks. Virginia declared a state of emergency and pledged to provide emergency food benefits. Colorado’s governor called for public donations to food banks, and California announced it would deploy National Guard troops to assist food distribution, a measure previously seen during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, advocates warn that even expanded charity efforts will not replace billions in federal funding.
For Shari Jablonowski, the looming shutdown represents a crisis she cannot easily overcome. She already relies on local food pantries and plans to increase her visits. “There’s nothing I can do to make money,” she says. “I’m not in the greatest of health.” For now, she is preparing by cooking large batches of soup and freezing some for later, hoping that small measures will help bridge the gap if federal aid disappears.
As the November 1 deadline approaches, millions of Americans like Shari are left in limbo, hoping for government action that could mean the difference between keeping their families fed or facing unprecedented hunger in the wealthiest nation in the world.