TTwo decades ago, Sarah Carlson, then a mother of three, found herself alone due to a traumatic event, and the U.S. food stamp program, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), helped her feed her children free food.
“I wouldn't be able to afford to live,” said Carlson, 45, who lives in Rochester, Minn., and now works as an operations manager for an asset management firm and sits on the board of directors of the Channel One Regional Food Bank, which works to expand food access.
Although food stamps helped her, after a couple of years the government stopped her from getting food because she started making too much money, which meant she had to worry about getting enough food again.
Now, nearly 42 million people across the country could face the same fate if the federal government shutdown continues and Snap funding is cut off on November 1.
While Republicans try to blame Democrats for the potential loss of benefits that low-income people rely on, those working in food insecurity say it's misleading because Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill already eliminated According to the agency, almost $187 billion will be allocated to finance Snap until 2024. Congressional Budget Office evaluate.
If the funding runs out at the end of the month, “we will be in the midst of the greatest hunger disaster in America since the Great Depression, and I don't say that as an exaggeration,” said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America.
Snap supports working families in low-wage jobs, low-income people age 60 and older, and people with disabilities living on a fixed income, according to Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.
Snap participants generally must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty line. The average participant receives about $187 a month, the center said.
Recently the Ministry of Agriculture sent a letter to Snap's regional directors, warning them that Snap's funding would run out at the end of the month and instructing them to suspend payments “until further notice.”
More than 200 Democratic lawmakers have called on the USDA to use reserve funds to continue paying for Snap benefits.
“There are clear steps the administration can and should take immediately to ensure millions of families across the country can put food on the table in November.” letter from legislators to USDA staff. “Providing SNAP benefits to those in need this November would be a gross violation of your responsibilities to the American people. We appreciate your consideration of these requests.”
Democrats have refused to pass a resolution to fund government reopening because they want the legislation to include provisions to maintain health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, which the Trump administration cut and is set to expire at the end of the year.
A USDA official blamed Democrats for the impending loss of Snap benefits.
“We are approaching a tipping point for Senate Democrats,” the spokesman said. Fox News. “Keep fighting for healthcare for undocumented immigrants or reopen the government so mothers, children and the most vulnerable among us can get Wic in a timely manner.” [special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children] and Snap highlighting.”
This statement inaccurate: Undocumented immigrants are not eligible for subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.
Although his organization is focused on food insecurity, Berg supports Democrats in the fight over health care subsidies because “it has serious implications for the people we represent,” he said.
“The population receiving health care subsidies may have a slightly higher income than people receiving Snap, but there is certainly a lot of overlap,” Berg said.
Brittany, a 38-year-old mother of three, lives in Greenup, Kentucky and works 35–40 hours a week as a home health nurse.
She also received Snap benefits for several years.
“It's not like I'm on benefits and I'm not working,” Brittany said, challenging the misconception that people on food stamps are just sitting on the couch.
They allow her to get “most of what she needs during the month, and the rest I just pay cash for,” said Brittany, who didn't want her last name used.
If Snap's funding was cut off, she said, she'd have to work weekends to make up the difference, which would mean she'd have “almost no time with my kids.”
Still, she supports Trump and blames the shutdown on Democrats because “they don't agree with anything the Republicans are proposing.”
