Lawmakers from both parties appear close to a deal to reopen the federal government and restore interrupted SNAP benefits, but hunger relief groups and recipients warn that the demand for food assistance will remain high even after the shutdown ends.
Radha Muthiah, CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) in Washington, D.C., says the organization added five extra weekly distributions for furloughed federal workers after the shutdown began on Oct. 1. Those pop-up distributions have served roughly 1,500 to 2,000 families each week. CAFB also plans to provide about 1 million additional meals this month for people who did not receive their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
Muthiah describes the human toll: some people are tapping long-term savings and retirement accounts or rethinking plans such as where their children will attend college because of lost income and benefits. “People are borrowing against their futures to be able to pay for basic necessities today, and that really shouldn’t be the case,” she said.
The Department of Agriculture warned it would exhaust funds on Nov. 1, and a legal dispute has unfolded over whether the administration must issue full SNAP payments for November. The administration appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing it can only afford to provide 65% of November allotments; the court extended an order that temporarily blocks full payments. A number of states have begun issuing full payments regardless, but many recipients still lack clear information about when or how much they will receive, or whether payments will be backdated.
“There may be rollercoaster rides, as we’re seeing between the administration and the courts,” Muthiah said. “But people need to eat every day…and so the need has not changed.”
The shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — has intensified demand at CAFB on top of already elevated need caused by staffing reductions at federal agencies. CAFB expects to distribute about 10% more meals over the current fiscal year. The surge in demand is not limited to furloughed federal employees; people from many industries are turning to emergency food programs as wages and hours are affected.
“One whole downstream effect” is new or increased food insecurity pushing people into the emergency food network, Muthiah said.
Rabitah Moses of Rockville, Md., who is disabled and unable to work, told CAFB she has not received SNAP benefits this month and has had no direct communication from agencies about timing or amounts. She has depended on news reports and state updates for information. Moses typically receives just over $100 a month in SNAP benefits — an amount that doesn’t cover all food costs but that she says affects health: “Most medications you have to take with food. If you don’t have food, you can’t take medication, and if you can’t take your medication, you’re gonna just get more and more sick.”
Moses uses food banks but worries about overwhelmed systems and unmet needs such as dietary restrictions amid rising demand.
Muthiah credits strong local financial support that allowed CAFB to scale up quickly. She says one dollar donated can fund two meals because the food bank sources items from wholesale markets and maintains an inventory of donated goods. Beyond cash donations, CAFB urgently needs volunteers to help manage distribution lines and support partner agencies.
Anyone who wants to help can find local food bank directories on city, county, or state websites, or use national resources such as Feeding America to locate nearby organizations accepting donations or volunteers.