The Government Shutdown is Impacting my SNAP Benefits...Now What??

The Government Shutdown is Impacting my SNAP Benefits…Now What??

Please note, although I work for a therapy practice, I myself am not a licensed therapist. I do have several years of social work experience in our community. None of what I write should be taken as therapeutic advice :)

First, if you haven’t heard, on October 17, 2025, the PA Department of Human Services announced that, due to the government shutdown, November SNAP payments cannot be made. This announcement is impacting thousands of Pennsylvanians; on a federal level, it is anticipated that SNAP funding will be depleted in a few weeks without a federal budget.

If this is impacting you, I am so sorry.  A shutdown that impacts a family’s ability to feed children absolutely should be a line in the sand for every American.  Here are some ideas for how to get through this extremely stressful time:

1. Keep your info up to date or officially apply on the PA Department of Human Services (DHS) website, and/or call COMPASS at 1.800.692.7462. From what I researched, this is still a requirement. If you have work, volunteer, or income changes, this information still needs to be reported.

2. Find and contact a local food bank. If you are local, click here for the Westmoreland County Food Bank website. The website has information on income requirements for receiving food bank assistance. There is also information to find a food pantry near you, as well as community meals, weekend backpack program, and more.

3. Call 211 or visit the Feeding PA website (here). The Feeding PA Website has direct links to WIC, National School Lunch Program, Emergency Assistance, and more. If you have children and aren't leaning into a free school lunch & breakfast program, check in to those to cover those two meals per day, five days per week. The PA Navigate (here) website has a plethora of services and resources available that you can search through.

   
   

   If you're like me, you're probably wondering: if this shutdown lasts (not to mention that Pennsylvania still does not have a state budget for the fiscal year), exactly how long are those programs going to be available? Here are some creative, outside-the-box ideas:

4. Call a church. Any church, synagogue, temple, or other place of worship. Many churches have resources available: either an emergency food box, assistance funds set aside for these situations, or something similar.

5. Look into local non-profits. Tom's Turkeys (https://www.tomsturkeys.org/) or Westmoreland Community Action (Westmoreland Community Action | Resources & Programs). Catholic Charities. Google "non-profits near me" and give them a call. Best case scenario - they help! If not, maybe they know someone who can.

6. Think it through. If SNAP benefits are cut, are there other places you can cut to spare some cash for food? For example, if you can thrift or get free clothes off Facebook Marketplace, use the money you saved to put towards food. Can you apply for LIHEAP (here), or even barter goods or services for food, if necessary? If you are a handyman, a hairstylist, etc., can you trade that particular service with someone else for food (or cash to purchase food)

7. Get creative with the meals you make. I went to Chat GPT to find some low cost, high nutrition meal options. Ideas include: Lentil & Vegetable Soup, Beans & Rice, Eggs & Veggie Skillet, Pasta with Meat Sauce, and a lot more. Chat GPT estimated the average cost per serving to be less than $1 per serving for most meals (I do not know how Chat GPT gets that information, however. This definitely could vary regionally). If you have certain ingredients on hand, you can add those to Chat GPT and generate some meal ideas.

8. Say you need to stretch food for an extra week. Call up some friends or family and put your food together. Make a potluck out of it. (Have you read Stone Soup? If not you should! I'm reminded of that book as I type this specific piece of advice. In the book, the townspeople come together to make a delicious soup that started with three stones and a large pot of water.)

9. Speaking of friends or family, ask them for help.

10. If you live in a location where you can grow plants, plant a garden for some fresh produce.

11. I often write posts that encourage you to get off social media; well, if you need food, I'm going to say get on social media. I have seen multiple Facebook posts in the past of people in various positions needing food (or other necessities) and the community always pulls through for them. I firmly believe that our community will support each other through this.

12. Little Outdoor Food Boxes. The Free-Op Community Store (website) put together this very handy reference for the little outdoor food box stations that are stationed around Westmoreland County (please see below for the list!). Also, check out the Free-Op store: it is a store with a pay-what-you-can policy that provides access to essential items.

13. Call your representatives.

Please, please if you know of other resources list them in the comments.

1.