I run a small grocery store in Houston, Texas. Most of our customers rely on SNAP. By the third day of the shutdown, the system started lagging. I stared at packs of chicken thawing in the freezer, calculating losses in my head. An elderly regular came by and smiled, “I’ll just grab some rice today. If my card doesn’t work, I’ll come back tomorrow.” Her forced optimism glowed like the freezer light—bright, but never warm. #WhenSNAPStops #SNAPLife #SNAPInterrupted