SNAP, WIC benefits help keep families fed, but future uncertain amid shutdown

It is literally the difference between life and death

For families who depend on SNAP or WIC, a trip to the grocery store already takes careful planning

but now it means planning through uncertainty. Donald Trump and Republicans have barreled us into a shutdown because they refuse to protect Americans' health care

Democrats have bowed to the far left and they've shut down the federal government. As the government shutdown drags on, Robin Nolte, a mother living in Nebraska's capital, is left wondering how long she'll be able to swipe her card at checkout

Even though funding is expected to last through the end of the month, Robin says she's already being more selective, just in case, deciding what to buy and what to leave on the shelf

And I've used more food banks, so Lincoln does have a lot of food banks, so that I can

save and preserve some of the benefits in case they don't come through in November

She been using SNAP for about a year and a half a source of stability as she works to rebuild her life For six months we were homeless So SNAP was the one thing that was fairly consistent for us because we could at least get food

which is kind of a big deal when you're trying to figure out the other areas of your life

Programs like SNAP and WIC are funded in advance, so when the government shuts down, benefits don't stop right away

But if the closure drags on, future payments could be at risk

We're worried about November benefits going out on time, which can be really impactful

The fact that people don't have the food that they need is a problem in our country

and it's something that policy can impact. Just before the shutdown began, the National WIC Association warned the program could run out of money within weeks if Congress didn't reach a deal

That's because WIC never received its new funding for the fiscal year that started October 1st, the same day the government shut down

The White House stepped in with a short-term boost to keep benefits flowing

But Eric Saviano who oversees food and nutrition at the non Nebraska Appleseed says they don want families to panic because there still hope the government will reopen before those funds run out We have a very chaotic government right now and we want to see that more stable in these programs to do their job

Together, Omaha serves as one of the largest food pantries in the metro

And right now in Omaha and across the country, the need is surging

Basically at the end of September was we were on pace to be pretty close to 40,000 unique users

And as most people know, people visit pantries more than once in a year

Our average is about six to seven times a year per household

CEO of Together Omaha, Mike Hornacek, says the trend reflects the pressure families feel as costs climb faster than incomes

Pressure that families continue to feel in balancing their budgets as the cost of living continues to increase from the cost of gas and groceries to heating your home to rent your mortgage

Everything just costs so much more in 2025 than it has before He says the organization is already serving more people than any point during the pandemic

and that's before any impacts from the shutdown or possible snap cuts

You can grab 14 more items. Not to use the word lightly, but it's essential services

I don't think our community can operate, provide the supports that it needs to have a healthy, productive community unless people have access to healthy, nutritious food

And while together Omaha is doing everything it can to meet the growing need, Hornacek says the biggest challenge is the unknown