Uncertainty Over SNAP Funding Has Triggered Widespread Panic and Anxiety

Please make a donation to help your neighbors who face a shortage of food.

Because SNAP payments are delayed this month, and future months are tenuous, I am asking you to donate to your local food bank.

The current federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, led to a near-cutoff of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits for approximately forty-two million Americans beginning November 1. The administration initially stated it would not use emergency contingency funds (about $5 billion) to continue payments, claiming the funds were not legally available for a lapse in appropriations. These actions represent the largest cuts to SNAP in its history and come at a time of rising food prices.

However, federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled that the administration must use the contingency funds to make at least partial payments, temporarily blocking the immediate, complete freeze of benefits, though payments will still be delayed.

Here’s the backdrop. Legislation approved permanent changes that will cut approximately $187 billion from SNAP over the next decade (FY2025-FY2034). This reduction in funds will reduce the number of people who are eligible for aid (by expanding work requirements). And legislation will shift responsibility from federal funds to the state. This financial burden has led some states to reconsider their continued participation. Stricter rules and new documentation requirements will cause millions to lose food assistance.

Millions of Americans, who rely on SNAP as their primary source of food money, were thrown into crisis by the prospect of benefits abruptly ending. And the uncertainty places a strain on food banks.

Families, especially those with children, seniors, or people with disabilities, have been forced to make impossible choices, like delaying rent or utility payments to save what little cash they have for food.

The food bank system, which was already struggling due to rising food prices and previous federal funding cuts, is bracing for an overwhelming surge in demand. Some food banks have already reported having to temporarily close or turn people away due to their shelves emptying faster than they can be restocked.

In fairness, it’s important to understand that those who approve of the lapse in SNAP funding probably don’t approve of the suffering. Instead, the rationale for the actions that led to the crisis is rooted in broader objectives. They may use this measure to advance their political agenda, such as budgetary savings. Or, they may have ideological objections. They may argue that welfare programs create unhealthy “dependency” on the government.

The “welfare queen” is a derogatory stereotype that has been used to justify cuts to the social safety net. The stereotype suggests that welfare recipients are lazy, unmotivated, and intentionally defrauding the system to live comfortably at the taxpayer’s expense. If recipients are thought to be “choosing” not to work or unnecessarily utilizing assistance, then policies that cut funding seem reasonable.

While intentional fraud exists, research consistently shows it accounts for an extremely small percentage of SNAP benefits (typically less than 1%). Let me say that again. Research shows that SNAP fraud is less than 1%. The “welfare queen” stereotype is a myth.

The overwhelming majority of SNAP benefits go to households with children, seniors, and people with disabilities. The myth implies people on SNAP are lazy and refuse to work, but the data show the opposite. For the millions of Americans in SNAP, it is overwhelmingly helping people who are already working but whose wages are too low or hours too unstable to afford enough food. SNAP is primarily a supplement to low wages, not a replacement for work.

I advocate for the “good of the whole” over the “fear of the few.” Let’s focus on SNAP’s value to people in need, rather than on the fear that someone may misuse it.

SNAP is one of the most effective anti-poverty tools, lifting millions out of poverty each year, especially children. The program provides an economic stabilizer, boosting local economies as recipients spend their benefits on local food at local stores. Adequate nutrition leads to better health outcomes and improves educational performance for children, benefiting society’s future workforce.

A successful society invests in its people. Providing a basic safety net for food is a collective moral and economic responsibility that outweighs a harmful, misleading stereotype.

Food banks and pantries are not designed or funded to replace SNAP. They expect a surge in demand, and as such, they will be immediately overwhelmed because they lack the capacity and funding to meet that need. They will quickly run out of inventory, leading to massive food shortages.

The most impactful way you can help is to monetarily support the emergency food network. While donating food is helpful, monetary donations allow food assistance organizations to maximize their impact because they can buy in bulk, often stretching every dollar to provide five or more meals. They can purchase the most needed items at any given time (fresh produce, dairy, specific cultural foods, etc.). Cash also helps fund crucial expenses like storage, refrigeration, transportation (gas for delivery trucks), and staff to manage distributions.

We’re making it easy for you to donate.

Jo Daviess Local Foods (JDLF) Collective, Food Security Coordinator Cindy Tegtmeyer, the Community Foundation of Jo Daviess County, and a group of concerned citizens created a SNAP Emergency Fund Dispersal. We will pool your donations and provide gift cards to SNAP recipients to temporarily fill the funding gap.

The Community Foundation of Jo Daviess County has an existing Food Insecurity Fund. This fund supports programs and initiatives that impact food insecurity.

You may use this QR code to donate:

Or mail a check to Community Foundation of Jo Daviess County, PO Box 77, Elizabeth, IL 61028. Memo: CFJC Food Insecurity Fund – SNAP.

Questions? Cindy Tetgmeyer at Cindy@jdlf.org

Your largest possible donation will make a huge difference.