The Snapping of SNAP
- Chaerin Kang
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Andrew Xie Dec. 11, 2025
On Oct. 1, the U.S. government entered a shutdown for the first time in seven years. After both chambers of Congress failed to agree on a spending bill to propose to President Donald Trump, many government services were either partially or completely stopped. Among these disruptions was the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the federal program that provides monthly food benefits for millions of low-income households in America.
Although the federal government funds SNAP, state agencies administer the application process and issue benefits; in California, the program is called CalFresh. Benefits are distributed monthly through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which can be used at grocery stores and select farmers’ markets, allowing qualifying families to purchase most food items with the card.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, more than 42 million Americans, including roughly 5 million Californians, depend on SNAP to meet their nutritional needs. With the shutdown blocking funding, states warned that the months’ benefits could be hindered. In California, state officials voiced their concerns over the uncertainty surrounding CalFresh, fearing it would leave some households without any benefits. With one in six Bay Area households living in poverty, an interruption in CalFresh benefits would have pushed thousands of families into food insecurity.
Local nonprofits and governments stepped up to fill the gaps, ensuring families received sufficient aid. Demand surged at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley’s distribution centers, which, before the shutdown, already served about 500,000 people a month across Santa Clara and San Mateo County. Santa Clara County gave $4.5 million to the organization and helped them identify additional food supplies, volunteers and donors. Second Harvest of Silicon Valley CEO Leslie Bacho stressed that although communities are unable to control what happens in Washington, D.C., their members should do their best to support their neighbors.
“Having volunteered at a food distribution site before, I saw the vital role these organizations play in the community, ensuring that nobody goes hungry, regardless of who they are,” Sophomore Elijah Yoon said.
Local businesses also joined the effort to support their communities. On the 40th day of the shutdown, Arteagas Food Center, a family-owned grocery store in East San Jose, offered $100 grocery vouchers to families who were cut off from their SNAP benefits, helping around 380 households purchase food items. After seeing families attempt to walk out without paying for their groceries, store owner Alfedo Lopez stated that his business’s effort was their way of giving back to their community.
During the shutdown, federal courts ordered the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits using pre-existing emergency funds. However, the Supreme Court issued an order only allowing for partial payments until the shutdown was resolved. Ultimately, Trump signed a funding bill on Nov. 12, passed by Congress, that ended the 43-day shutdown and provided full SNAP funding from November up until the end of the fiscal year.
Yet, earlier in the year, Congress had passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which imposed stricter requirements for SNAP eligibility. All adults must now work or volunteer for at least 80 hours per month to maintain eligibility, or they may only receive benefits for three months in a three-year period, with veterans, homeless individuals and former foster youth losing their exemptions. The law also limited states’ ability to waive these requirements and reduced federal administrative support, shifting more responsibility regarding the distribution of benefits to local governments.
“Although the new eligibility requirements might have been imposed to prevent people from taking advantage of the system, I doubt that was the main goal of these new strict requirements; rather, they allow the government to save money instead of providing for the Americans who are unable to meet them,” Senior Max Nguyen said.
Now that benefits have resumed—along with revamped requirements— families, government agencies and nonprofit organizations must prepare to navigate through these new rules. The response to the shutdown illustrates the value of a close-knit community, but also the essential role governmental programs play in ensuring food security, serving as a reminder of the utmost importance of supporting and funding.
About the Contributors
Andrew Xie
Sports & Opinions Editor
Andrew Xie is a sophomore at Leland High School and the Sports and Opinions Page Editor for The Charger Account. When he's not sleeping in on weekends, you can find him playing video games, watching movies, or hanging out with friends.
Dilara Varoglu
Artist
