Under gray November skies in Kansas City, the line outside a neighborhood pantry wraps around the block. Among those waiting is Tom Harris, a 52-year-old mechanic holding a worn grocery bag.
“We’ve got canned soup and bread for a few days,” he says quietly. “But with SNAP gone November 1? It’s back to skipping meals so the grandkids eat.”
Harris’s story mirrors a crisis now gripping 42 million Americans after the federal government shutdown halted all SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. The lapse now in day 34, has sent families flooding into food banks nationwide, according to AP News and USDA reports.
The shutdown stems from exhausted Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations. October benefits, pre-loaded ahead of time, were the last issued. Without a new continuing resolution (CR), November’s $8 billion in aid went unfunded.
In an October memo, the USDA confirmed “no payments November 1”, explaining that remaining reserves are limited to natural disasters, not budget gridlocks.
At least 25 states, including Kansas, have suspended or are preparing to suspend SNAP. The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) warned 200,000 residents that federal funds had dried up. Officials predict a doubling in emergency food needs, particularly in rural areas where 1 in 6 families rely on SNAP.
In Wichita, the Kansas Food Bank reports lines stretching twice their normal length, more than 500 families daily.
“We’re turning people away by noon,” said director Brian Walker, noting that shelves are often bare of milk, eggs, and fruit.
Feeding America, which coordinates 200 food banks nationwide, says pantries are operating at 80% over capacity. Pediatricians in Kansas City and St. Louis are already warning of rising malnutrition among children.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), national food insecurity may climb 20–30% in November alone, straining schools and clinics unprepared for the surge.
Some states are stepping in temporarily.
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly announced an emergency fund to cover part of local pantry costs.
“We can’t replace federal dollars,” she said, “but we won’t let kids starve.”
Virginia approved a $150 million food relief package, while New York set aside $30 million for temporary aid. But in Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee, no such stopgaps exist. Local pantries report demand up by half in less than a week.
In Washington, the standoff has devolved into finger-pointing.
Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, accuse the USDA of “cruel neglect” for withholding $5.5 billion in contingency reserves that could have delayed the cutoff.
Republicans counter that Democrats “overspent” and ignored fiscal warnings earlier in the year.
Legal scholars like Georgetown’s David Super say USDA’s refusal to release reserves may violate past precedent, citing similar 2013 shutdown actions where benefits were extended.
Advocacy groups, including the National Anti-Hunger Coalition, are preparing lawsuits and urging Congress to pass a temporary CR before the week’s end.
For Harris, whose $350 monthly SNAP benefit once covered staples for four people, the math no longer works.
“With rent eating half my paycheck,” he says, “it’s meds or food and you already know which one we pick.”
He’s not alone. Across the Midwest, families are bartering grocery items online and pooling gas money just to reach open pantries.
“I’ve seen parents cry at checkout,” said a Wichita cashier interviewed by local TV. “They’re choosing between diapers and dinner.”
A continuing resolution could restart benefits within days, if lawmakers act. Until then, the USDA urges families to contact 211 for local food assistance.
Experts warn, however, that the damage will linger long after funds resume. “You can’t just flip a switch on hunger,” said CBPP’s Elaine Waxman. “Pantries are drained. Families’ savings are gone.”
For now, Harris loads his trunk with donated cereal and potatoes, his voice barely above a whisper:
“Politicians eat fine,” he says. “We scrape.”
Sources:
All figures verified via USDA, CBPP, AP News, Politico, Feeding America, and Kansas DCF public releases as of November 3, 2025.
