Written by: Mia Lanemann; SLU Dietetic Intern
Introduction
The government has been shut down since October 1st, 2025, approaching the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Congress is yet to pass a continuing resolution to keep money flowing. This shutdown directly affects food assistance programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), School Meal Programs, and food banks that rely on federal grants, as well as federal employee wages, student loans, national parks and museums, and the court system.
Impact on SNAP Benefits
Devastatingly, as the shutdown continues, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food assistance to low-income families, formally referred to as food stamps) benefits will not be issued to Missourians in full for the month of November, starting on November 1st. As of November 3rd, the government released that SNAP benefits will be half of the normal payment for the month and delayed. Important to note, at this time, any benefits currently left on your EBT card from previous months can be used. SNAP is 100% federally funded, so with the government being closed, the federal government cannot easily allocate money to the states for SNAP. The administration is pulling the money for SNAP November benefits from an Agriculture Department contingency fund. There is only $4.65 billion available in that fund to pay for SNAP benefits, which is roughly half of the $8 billion in food assistance payments people receive each month. (NPR 2025)
Figure 1. SNAP outreach information from Food Bank of Northwest Indiana (Food Bank NWI, n.d.).
SNAP Importance
Looking at the statistics from the White House, SNAP benefits 667,000 Missourians, 255,000 of whom are children. (The White House 2025) SNAP is one of the most effective anti-poverty tools in the US, directly reducing food insecurity by almost 30%. SNAP also stabilizes the domestic economy in the US. For example, for every $1 in benefits from the government, it generates $1.50-1.80 in economic activity. This effect is immediate when you consider that SNAP benefits are spent quickly and efficiently, each month further stimulating the economy by increasing the ROI of foreign trade as well as domestically sourced food goods.
Impact on WIC
The effects of this shutdown on community nutrition are not only seen in SNAP; other programs like WIC may be affected if the shutdown continues. Governor Kehoe released a statement saying, “Missouri WIC funding will be available through November for now.” For the next month, WIC benefits will continue to be distributed to Missourians. WIC serves nearly half of all infants born in the US, improving birth weights by strengthening early nutrition. (Knurick 2025)
Consequences
The funding lapses related to the government shutdown are already resulting in far-reaching consequences for those who rely on government assistance. Throughout the United States, more than 40 million people will suddenly lose half the benefits they rely on to buy food for themselves and their families. Many will be forced to make the impossible decision between food, rent, and utilities (especially as we enter the winter months).
How You Can Help:
1. Support Your Local Food Banks
a. Feeding America Food Bank Finder – use this link to locate a food bank near you and donate if able.
2. Drop Off a Food Donation
a. Contact your local food bank and ask them what their greatest needs are.
b. Great shelf-stable items include peanut butter, canned beans, cereal, canned vegetables, canned chicken, brown rice, oats, and apple sauce.
3. Volunteer Your Time
a. With an influx of customers, your local foodbank may need all “hands-on deck.”
“If you cannot feed a hundred people, then just feed one.” – Mother Theresa
Figure 2. Volunteer activity at a food bank event (Donegal Insurance Group, 2022).
If You’re Facing Food Insecurity, Find Help at:
1. A Local Food Bank
2. A Local Food Pantry
3. A Local Community Fridge
4. A Little Free Pantry
5. USDA Hunger Hotline: 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479)
“Why should there be hunger and deprivation in any land, in any city, at any table, when man has the resources and the scientific know-how to provide all mankind with the basic necessities of life? There is no deficit in human resources. The deficit is in human will.” – MLK Jr.
Figure 3. Impact of the 2025 U.S. government shutdown (Politico, 2025).
Citations
NPR. (2025, November 3). Snap food benefits amid government shutdown [Image]. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2025/11/03/nx-s1-5596121/snap-food-benefits-trump-government-shutdown
Donegal Insurance Group. (2022, September 2). National Food Bank Day [Image]. Donegal Insurance Group Blog. https://donegalgroup-blog.com/national-food-bank-day/
Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. (n.d.). Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) [Image]. https://foodbanknwi.org/snap/
Politico. (2025, October 1). Government shutdown 2025: What’s still open? [Image]. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/01/government-shutdown-2025-whats-still-open-00195598 The White House. (2025). SNAP statistics by state [Data set]. https://www.whitehouse.gov/
Knurick, J. (2025). How the shutdown threatens programs [Blog post]. DrJessicaKnurick. https://drjessicaknurick.substack.com/p/how-the-shutdown-threatens-programs
Martin Luther King, Jr. (n.d.). Why should there be hunger and deprivation … the deficit is in human will [Quote]. AZQuotes. https://www.azquotes.com/quote/787313
No comments:
Post a Comment