Hunger Looms in Wisconsin as SNAP Funding Remains in Limbo
- Markola Williams
- 55 minutes ago
- 2 min read
The government shutdown continues to impact millions across the United States, and one of the most pressing issues is the uncertainty surrounding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps. Low-income families rely on SNAP to put food on the table, but with the shutdown stretching on, the concern over whether benefits will be distributed in the coming months is growing.
In Wisconsin, the situation is especially tense. Governor Tony Evers recently announced that the state could run out of federal funds to pay SNAP benefits as soon as November if the shutdown continues. This announcement has sparked fear and confusion among families who depend on this assistance every month to feed their children and cover basic nutritional needs.
On Friday, October 31, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to activate backup funds to continue funding SNAP for a limited time during the shutdown. The ruling forced the administration to tap into contingency funds to ensure that benefits were paid temporarily.
However, those funds are not unlimited, and uncertainties remain about whether new action will be taken in time to avoid a lapse in benefits as the current shutdown persists.
The threat of losing SNAP benefits is not just a political talking point. It is a real crisis playing out inside grocery stores, food pantries, and kitchen tables across the state. At a Walmart in Manitowoc, WI, a mother with two young children described the weight of the situation.
She said losing SNAP in November would mean “making choices no parent should have to make.” She explained that her monthly benefits allow her to buy food for her children “without having to sacrifice paying rent or the electric bill.” Without them, she said, she fears she will have to choose between feeding her kids and keeping the heat on as winter approaches.
With Governor Evers warning about the end of SNAP funding and families struggling to figure out how they will get through the upcoming months, many are calling for immediate federal action. The orders issued by the federal judge earlier this year provided only temporary relief. What families need now is a clear and sustained plan to keep food on their tables.
In Wisconsin and across the nation, the uncertainty surrounding SNAP is a reminder of how deeply policies in Washington affect people’s lives. Whether Congress or the administration will step in before November remains unknown, and the clock is ticking for families who cannot afford to wait.