November is the month of Thanksgiving and the start of the holidays, when families and friends come together, eat an abundance of food, and enjoy the holidays.
Not this year, though. More than 42 million people are set to lose their food stamps, the most vulnerable groups impacted being children.
Officials from half of the states and the District of Columbia sued Trump and his administration on Tuesday over cutting food stamp benefits due to the government shutdown, as millions of people across the US prepare for food insecurity in November.
States involved in the lawsuit are:
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
California, New York, and Pennsylvania are asking a federal judge in Massachusetts to order the Department of Agriculture to continue providing SNAP benefits by tapping a contingency fund to ensure the assistance continues to reach more than 25 million people living in their states.
State officials wrote in their lawsuit:
“The loss of SNAP benefits leads to food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition, which are associated with numerous negative health outcomes in children, such as poor concentration, decreased cognitive function, fatigue, depression, and behavioral problems.”
This is now the second-longest government shutdown in US history, hitting its 28th day with no end in sight.
About 1 in 8 Americans receives food stamps, and the average recipient gets a $187 monthly payment for groceries. It’s not nearly enough money, given inflation.
If this impacts you or you know someone who is, here are some resources:
Feeding America: Offers a nationwide directory of food banks/pantries + help applying for SNAP (formerly food stamps). Feeding America
Call 211: Many areas in the US have a “2-1-1” helpline that connects you to local food resources, pantries, meal sites, etc.
Use zip-code search tools: For example, the Hunger Network’s “Find Help” map lets you search for food pantries/meal sites near you. Hunger Network
Use mobile apps/online maps: there are “Food Banks Directory – USA” apps or regional “Pantry Locator” apps that help you find nearby free food distributions.
Where Thanksgiving was supposed to symbolize gratitude and abundance, millions of Americans are facing the grim reality of hunger this month. Losing food stamps during the holiday season underscores the impact of government inaction and political gridlock on people.
While families come together at tables across the country, many more will struggle with how to put food on their tables. The legal battle waged by states against the federal government puts into sharp focus both the urgency of this crisis and the moral responsibility to protect this nation’s most vulnerable, especially the children.
Thanksgiving is meant to remind us of compassion and community; this year, it also serves as a jarring reminder of just how fragile those ideals can become once policy fails the people it was supposed to serve.