waltondana+FollowWhen My SNAP Card Showed Only $3.14I wanted to buy a can of cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie filling for a simple Thanksgiving dinner. But at checkout, the screen flashed: Balance: $3.14. I froze. People behind me sighed, so I removed two items quietly. Then I learned SNAP doesn’t cover hot food when the cashier rejected my mashed potatoes. I walked them back, pretending I didn’t care. We ended up eating discounted canned turkey. My kid asked, “Why do other families get a real turkey?” “Next year,” I told him. “Next year we will too.” #SNAP #LowIncomeLife #ThanksgivingStruggles #FoodInsecurity #RealLifeUSA01Share
rodriguezchristopher+FollowSNAP Delay Makes Me Worry About My Child’s Next MealI’m a single mom in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, relying on SNAP benefits to buy groceries for my child. At the end of October I looked at my balance—it was nearly zero. News of the government shutdown was on TV, and the state welfare office sent a warning: if the funding isn’t approved, November’s SNAP benefits might be halted. That night I watched my child eat boiled peas—whatever was left—and felt empty inside. I try to budget, but every meal now feels like a gamble: can I make it until help arrives? #SNAPInterrupted #GovernmentShutdown #FoodInsecurity 204Share
