Americans are plagued by uncertainty over the government shutdown, wondering what it means for the future of federal workers as well as federally funded initiatives. 

One of the most important initiatives is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP disburses roughly $187 into prepaid cards for recipients to buy groceries, assisting over 41 million Americans enrolled in the program as of 2024, decreasing food insecurity by roughly 30%. 

The necessity of nutrition assistance for low-income Americans is immeasurable. 

While SNAP may have funding available for benefits and operations throughout October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture warns there may be a suspension of SNAP benefits in November due to “insufficient funds.” States such as New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Texas have issued this notice. 

“States are being forced to hold their November issuance files and delay transmission to state EBT vendors,” a USDA letter sent to regional snap directors read. 

The shutdown will leave over 41 million American workers and families in a state of food insecurity, despite the available resources. There is no excuse for letting people go hungry. 

One way that the USDA can cover the cost of SNAP, according to Plata-Nino, is by using its contingency funds. The reserve stood at $6 billion during the Biden administration. 

After Republicans and Democrats failed to reach an agreement on continuing government funding on Oct. 1, the USDA’s Lapse of Funding plan outlined the multiyear contingency funds for SNAP that could be used to cover state administrative expenses in the case of a federal government shutdown. 

This includes the funding of participant benefits in full. 

Despite this, it is still unclear whether the USDA intends to utilize contingency funds to ensure the funding of November SNAP benefits. 

There should already be a sense of urgency with the disbursement of benefits, so the lack of initiative to make effective use of contingency funds is perplexing. 

The government shutdown is due to Republicans and Democrats being at a crossroads over spending and healthcare issues. President Donald Trump’s failure to address these issues and aversion to agreeing with the Democratic party run the risk of “endangering people’s lives and making basic needs like food more expensive,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a politician who hasn’t shied away from critiquing the Trump Administration, stated. 

The financial security of millions of Americans have been compromised due to the Republican and Democratic parties’ unwillingness to come to a compromise on key budget issues, as reflected by the duration of the shutdown thus far. The lack of effective compromise is especially disconcerting in a time when Americans are already facing the impact of inflation and higher grocery costs. 

The consequences facing those providing social services are dire. Food banks have already seen an uptick of visits from federal workers not getting paid, but the visits will likely continue to increase given the sheer number of individuals who depend on SNAP benefits for their food. 

“When food banks serve families, it’s usually a 1-to-9 ratio, so one meal provided by food banks versus nine provided by SNAP dollars,” Craig Rice, CEO of Manna Food Center in Maryland, told NBC Washington. 

“If those SNAP dollars get cut in half, that would mean that a local food bank quadruples their output just to meet that need.” 

The Manna Food Center provides for many unpaid federal workers and the ongoing shutdown has forced them to accommodate for increased demand for the new influx of Americans who depend on SNAP. 

Social workers, families and working Americans shouldn’t be caught in the crossfire of a political disagreement. 

Congress may be arguing over budgets, but it’s everyday Americans who end up paying the price.