Soon, millions of Americans may find their grocery carts empty…not due to inflation, but rather because the government is no longer covering their food expenses. As the federal shutdown continues, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps over 40 million people afford groceries each month, including myself, faces the possibility of being suspended permanently.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) just declared that it will not use its $5 billion contingency fund to pay November SNAP benefits, according to a CNN article. According to the agency, unless Congress enacts a budget bill, it is not legally permitted to draw from that reserve. Millions of households may lose their access to food aid in a matter of days if Congress does not take immediate action.
This is a human crisis, not simply a headline. The largest anti-hunger program in the nation, SNAP helps low-income workers, retirees, and children who depend on the benefits for their next meal. There are obvious repercussions when payments stop, including increased food insecurity, longer food bank lines, and increased stress for parents who are already struggling to make ends meet in low-income jobs!
However, the issues that are occurring at home are more important to those who rely on SNAP than these discussions in Washington. Imagine not having any money for dinner or a backup plan when you check your EBT card balance the day before payday. For millions of parents, that is a terrible prospect rather than an imagined scenario. By now, many food banks are preparing for the spiked demand that is about to come.
The news that SNAP benefits are being suspended or discontinued is really upsetting to me as a college student who depends on EBT to help pay for my groceries when I lived in my apartment. I was already carefully budgeting every dollar between books, rent, and tuition, and food stamps allowed me to eat healthily and maintain my academic focus. I don’t know how I would’ve been able to pay for basic meals without those advantages, as paying rent and for school was already tough enough. Even now, I was still receiving my benefits, which I used to provide food for my family. It seems unfair that students like myself, who are working to improve their future, must be concerned about where they will get their next meal. Families are not the only ones impacted by this choice; young people who are already having financial difficulties are also affected.
SNAP is an economic stabilizer as well as a welfare program. Approximately $1.50 is generated in local economic activity for every dollar spent through SNAP, so the suspension affects not only families but also grocery businesses, farmers, and food wholesalers.
Programs like SNAP are essential, not luxuries. This instance serves as a reminder to youth and students that legislation is personal, not impersonal. Everyone we know is impacted, whether it’s a student, neighbor, or family member. To guarantee that no one has to question where their next meal will come from, the first steps are to speak up, remain informed, and vote with empathy.