On Oct. 1, 2025, the government shutdown began, closing many federal services nationwide. Over a month later, the shutdown is the longest in history. And now, over 40 million Americans may lose access to SNAP benefits amidst the shutdown.
A government shutdown is a period where non-essential federal services are temporarily closed when Congress fails to pass a funding bill. Without them the agencies must shut down (freeze spending) until a bill is passed.
While Republicans currently have the majority of seats in both chambers of Congress, they lack the necessary 60 Senate votes needed to pass a bill. A temporary funding bill passed the House but failed in the Senate, triggering the government shutdown at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1.
One benefit affected by the government shutdown is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The federally funded program is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States and provides monthly electronic benefits to low-income individuals to help them purchase groceries.
One in every eight Americans relies on SNAP benefits. But with the government shutdown, SNAP is not receiving its usual funding, putting millions of Americans at risk of food insecurity.
The government announced it would use their $5 billion in SNAP contingency funds to pay out November’s benefits, but that it would only be enough for half of SNAP’s usual benefit.
“Most people do a decent job of financial planning,” said Bryan McCannon, Dean of the School of Business and Economics. “If someone knows in advance they will miss a payment, they can budget for it. Without much warning, though, this freeze in funding will likely be especially harmful.”
Food insecurity isn’t just an issue happening around the United States.
It’s unclear how SNAP’s holdups could affect the U.S. economy at large.
Since SNAP benefits are used across a short time frame, the immediate impact of those dollars helps stir up business. One United States Department of Agriculture study estimated that every $1 paid out through SNAP results in $1.50 to $1.80 of economic impact. Without these additional dollars flowing in, small food businesses could be impacted.
“Because SNAP serves disadvantaged families, who face complex economic, social or political hardships, its exact economic impact is very hard to study,” Assistant Professor of Macroeconomics Bira Zhahadai said.
McCannon also hypothesized that SNAP recipients’ need to reallocate money could cause loan delinquencies to spike. “Why make a car payment or a rent check when you need to spend whatever money you have on food?” McCannon said.
“There aren’t many social benefits or programs to help the poor in the United States to begin with, so I fully support SNAP and feel a bit relieved knowing my taxes can bring food to the table for the people in need,” Zhahadai said.
Students who have been affected by SNAP’s delays or other food insecurity can visit the Hansen Student Center’s Titan Pantry. Lockers sitting between the front desk and first-floor bathrooms hold various food items, including canned foods, snacks, and quick meals that students can grab for free. The lockers operate on a “take what you need, leave what you can” basis, and community members can donate to the pantries to help students during this time.
Additionally, if students are facing other financial hardships that may impact their ability to stay at Illinois Wesleyan, the Titan Emergency Fund may be available to provide financial assistance. Application details are available on the IWU website.
