With the future of SNAP benefits in limbo due to the prolonged government shutdown, food banks across America are bracing for a surge in demand, warning of a potential public health crisis if November’s assistance fails to materialize.
Food Banks On the Frontline
Administrators from food banks such as Roadrunner Food Bank in New Mexico—where over 21% of residents depend on SNAP—are sounding the alarm. Jason Riggs compared the current crisis to the 2008 recession and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting a critical difference: while government support programs were active in those prior emergencies, SNAP is now paralyzed, leaving a “catastrophic need for food.”
Food banks are already overwhelmed, noting they are not built to serve as a substitute for federal safety nets: “SNAP can provide nine times the amount of meals as the entire nationwide food bank network,” Riggs told NPR. Central Texas Food Bank CEO Sari Vatske underscored the collective strain: “In a natural disaster, we can rely on partner food banks for support; with this shutdown, we’re all experiencing the same need.”
Private Efforts Fall Short
As the shutdown drags on, organizations like Too Good To Go and Flashfood have seen spikes in participation, working with grocers and restaurants to offer discounted surplus food to struggling families. But while these initiatives help fill some gaps, food leaders agree they cannot fill the void left by an idle SNAP program.
Broader Impact and Warnings
With SNAP recipients facing difficult choices—prioritizing bills and food—and food banks straining to keep pace, there’s growing fear that the charitable food system could reach a breaking point if federal benefits are not restored soon. The consequences reach far beyond individuals, threatening the stability of local economies and businesses that depend on SNAP spending.
The message from food banks is clear: without prompt action from Congress, millions of Americans could face hunger at levels unseen in recent memory.