I live in Portland, Oregon, working as a kitchen assistant in a small café. My income is modest, and SNAP benefits each month are the safety net that ensures my kids get three meals. When the state website posted that “if the government shutdown continues, November SNAP might not issue timely,” I knew things would change. So after work I go to the food bank—a long line of families like mine. One mother asked the volunteer, “Is this my kid’s dinner tonight?” The volunteer sighed, “We do what we can.” That night I told my child: “We’re having soup and bread.” He nodded quietly. The table is set—but it feels like we’re borrowing someone else’s life. #WhenSNAPStops #SNAPLife #SNAPInterrupted