Once again, uncertainty creeps into millions of households across the United States. This Saturday, no one will receive their monthly SNAP assistance (the country’s main food aid program), and it’s all because of the federal government shutdown. Our leaders have failed to reach an agreement, and it’s hitting the pockets of the most vulnerable, those who depend on food assistance.
So, no, this November 1st no one will receive their SNAP payment, and people will have to endure the uncertainty as best they can… and hide their hunger.
What is a government shutdown?
Shutdowns happen when Congress does not pass the necessary spending bills on time to fund federal agencies and programs; in this case, it affects SNAP.
Since no budget has been approved, the government legally cannot spend money, so many offices temporarily close, and federal employees are either furloughed or work without pay until a political agreement is reached.
What will happen when the government reopens
When Congress and the White House reach an agreement and the government resumes operations (hopefully soon), the Department of Agriculture (USDA) will issue the pending payments retroactively, so beneficiaries will receive their money plus the aid for the current month (if the government reopens in December, they will receive November + December).
And SNAP?
Millions of residents receive this benefit. In Pennsylvania alone, it moves more than 350 million dollars per month (just imagine how many families rely on this payment…).
Well, there will be no payment, even if it sounds like a headline meant to grab attention. There simply won’t be one as long as the government remains shut down. Mackenzie Libbey mentioned that many people call the DHS (Department of Human Services) hoping it’s just a rumor, but unfortunately, it’s true.
Libbey works daily with low-income families, and the amount they receive isn’t much (about 6 dollars a day per person), but it’s the difference between having something to eat or not having anything at all.
What happens with the money already on the cards
Fortunately, the funds already loaded from previous months on EBT cards will not disappear, they can still be used normally. So, try to get through the coming weeks with whatever balance remains from previous months.
“We don’t want people to rush to the supermarket and spend everything out of fear”.
Philadelphia, the most affected
In the state of Philadelphia, three out of ten residents depend on SNAP, and among them are seniors, single-parent families, people with disabilities… Many rely on this aid to survive.
The DHS’s only recommendation is to turn to food banks and community centers to get through the situation, but we know it’s not that simple. Many can’t even travel to those places. It’s not easy at all…
How can a country allow its main food program to be cut off because of political gridlock? It doesn’t sound logical at all…
A network hanging by a thread
The SNAP program is the backbone of food security in the United States, 41 million people benefit from it, and for many, it’s their only source of money to buy food.
But since it depends on the federal budget, it’s highly vulnerable, and we’re seeing it now, with a government shutdown leaving all these families in limbo. Is it logical for the system to get in the way of people’s need to eat? If this drags on, food banks won’t be enough, prices will rise… Everything spirals together.
“We’re talking about food, about millions of children, adults, and seniors who simply can’t wait for Congress to decide when to go back to work”.
So, we hope the government shutdown ends soon and that families don’t feel the impact too much, because while Washington debates budgets, millions of families are just waiting to be able to eat.
No one should go hungry because of politicians.