Millions of Americans who depend on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to help pay for food will likely lose federal assistance this week if the government shutdown continues.
There are 41.7 million Americans who receive SNAP benefits and roughly 3.7 million Texans who rely on these SNAP benefits to purchase groceries.
If the government shutdown continues past Oct. 27, those who normally receive food stamps will not get them until the shutdown is over, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services website.
With contingency and child nutrition funds unable to fully cover the shortfall, states remain powerless to distribute aid until Congress restores federal appropriations. This deepens uncertainty for families relying on food assistance, according to Politico.
SNAP benefits, which are also known as food stamps, are provided to low-income households on a monthly basis. Advocates for people living in poverty are warning that the loss of benefits could lead to a nationwide crisis.
“Ending the shutdown this week is crucial for preventing even greater mass hunger in November,” Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, said in a press release.
Berg urged both parties to reach a deal before the shutdown deepens the nation’s hunger crisis during the holiday season.
“Emergency food charities, even if they had access to all the resources they would have used in past years, would only be able to temporarily fill a microscopic portion of the hunger chasm caused by SNAP delays,” Berg stated in the press release.
Here in Fort Worth, about 12.9% of the city’s 941,311 residents live below the poverty line, according to Data USA. Many of these residents rely on SNAP benefits and will turn to local food banks for pantries to help feed their families.
The North Texas Food Bank is a vital community food bank for those who are experiencing food insecurity in the North Texas area. On average, the NTFB provides access to about 10 million meals each month across a 12-county service area.
“While we haven’t yet seen a significant increase in food assistance requests related to the government shutdown, we anticipate that could change if the shutdown continues into November,” Jeff Smith, director of communications for the NTFB, said.
Smith said the NTFB is prepared to get through tough times as the holiday season approaches, in part through lessons learned during the COVID pandemic.
“We’re ready to apply those lessons again if needed and will do everything possible to ensure our neighbors have access to nutritious food during the holiday season and beyond,” Smith said.
Here’s how to help
Donate funds: Every $1 donated helps NTFB provide three nutritious meals. Individuals can also host online fundraisers.
Volunteer: Individuals can give their time to NTFB or one of its local feeding partners to help pack, sort, distribute and more.
Advocate: NTFB offers resources for individuals to use their voices to support policies that address food insecurity.
Donate food: With drives able to be hosted virtually or physically, NTFB is looking for these items:
- Peanut Butter (16 ounces, not mixed with other items)
- Canned Fruit (14–16 ounces)
- Shelf-Stable Milk (8 ounces, not flavored)
- Canned Tuna (5 ounces)
- Canned Chicken (5 ounces)
- Low-Sodium Canned Vegetables (15–16 ounces)
- Trail Mix (1–2 ounces)
