Tag: WhenSNAPStops

#WhenSNAPStops

tiffanypace

My Students Stopped Bringing Lunch

I’m a teacher at an elementary school in St. Paul, Minnesota. In the second week of the government shutdown, I noticed two kids stopped bringing lunch and didn’t get in the cafeteria line. When I asked why, a boy whispered, “Mom said the card might not work.” That afternoon, I made him a cup of instant noodles in my office. He looked at it and said, “I’ll pay you back tomorrow.” I smiled and said, “You don’t have to.” But I knew he was talking about dignity, not noodles. #WhenSNAPStops

Jamie Hill

What Melted in My Freezer Wasn’t Just Ice

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

hoffmanrichard

The Food Bank Became Our Weekly Destination

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

gmedina

No Lunch Card Swipe on the Bus, My Classroom Changed Scenery

I’m a teacher at a rural elementary school in Louisiana. Normally kids ride the bus and use their SNAP-funded lunch cards. But after the shutdown, the school received notice: if next month’s benefits are delayed, we must cut meals. Two days ago I saw a child on the bus quietly eating a cracker, telling me: “Teacher, my fridge is empty.” After school I went to the office and found the “extra meal boxes” halved. The kids laugh less—and the idea of lunch changed. #WhenSNAPStops #SNAPBenefits #SNAPInterrupted

Adam Munoz

She Bought Dignity With Five Dollars

I volunteer at a community kitchen in Memphis, Tennessee. One day, a young mother came in with five dollars and an expired SNAP card. “Can I get some bread? I don’t want to take it for free,” she said. I took the money, and she whispered, “I know it’s not enough.” I pretended not to hear and added two extra loaves. As she walked away, she looked back—her eyes said “thank you,” but also goodbye to a country that had stopped listening. #WhenSNAPStops #SNAPLife #SNAPInterrupted

austinglenn

End-of-Year Donations Fall, My Church Kitchen Struggles Too

I volunteer at a church kitchen in Salt Lake City, Utah. Normally our community meals bridge the gap of limited government benefits. After the shutdown delayed SNAP, more people came seeking aid. But our donations dropped as the economy tightened. Last week we were notified: procurement budget cut by 20%. I watched the sacks of rice in the pot shrink and feared: if we can't hold on, the next meal might be by appointment. #WhenSNAPStops #SNAPLife #SNAPInterrupted

rpearson

At the Church Kitchen I Saw Cold Meals and Rising Panic

I’m a cook at a church kitchen in Raleigh, North Carolina, providing hot meals to low-income families daily. The government shutdown has made SNAP funding unstable and donations have dropped. One evening a mother held her two-year-old and crouched to ask: “We can still come here tonight, right?” I bowed my head and served her a bowl of soup. I wondered: is this soup a help or a warning? I overheard a volunteer on the headset: “We’re cutting back portions.” The sound of my pots clanging echoed the tension in the room. #WhenSNAPStops #SNAPLife #SNAPInterrupted

Grant Griffin

The Small Farm Got Hurt Too: No Buyers at the Field, I Became a Lonely Farmer

I run a small farm in Pennsylvania supplying local grocery stores—and many of my customers are SNAP households. After the shutdown, SNAP card holders tightened wallets, grocery orders shrank, and my harvest turned into surplus. That week I stood in the pumpkin field, watched the truck return empty from town. My coffee went cold in front of the tools, and I thought: we don’t just feed others—we’re being forgotten by the system too. #WhenSNAPStops #SNAPLife #SNAPInterrupted

jeremymolina

My Mom’s SNAP Got Stuck in Review, and So Did Our Lives

I live in St. Louis, Missouri, with my mom in a rental unit. She’s a retired nurse relying on half of her pension and half from SNAP benefits. Because of the government shutdown the state’s social services posted: “November SNAP suspended until further federal notice.” My mom often flips through the bills at night; I can’t sleep either. She once asked me: “What do you want? If we skip a meal or two, does it count?” I said, “Mom, don’t think like that.” But I wondered: if the review is stuck, do we lose benefits this month? I don’t know how many calls to make or how many times to beg. #WhenSNAPStops #SNAPLife #SNAPInterrupted

christinemiranda

My Gig App Orders Dropped Because SNAP Users Had No Funds

I work as an online delivery driver in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Usually I get steady orders, many from urban low-income families relying on SNAP and food delivery deals. After the shutdown, their spending dropped immediately—my orders down 20%. That night I took an extra shift, but clients never showed. I sat in the car watching “looking for jobs…” on the screen and thought: the government shutdown seemed far away—but it cost me my income. #WhenSNAPStops #SNAPLife #SNAPInterrupted

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