Kimberly is a wife, mother, and grandmother currently between short- and long-term disability and unable to work. While adapting to this transition, her husband suffered a heart attack and, with no paid time off, was suddenly without income, as well.
“We have absolutely no income coming in right now,” shared Kimberly, “And then that following Friday, we were blessed with getting temporary placement of our grandchildren. So, with no money it’s been really a struggle.”
Kimberly was approved to start receiving SNAP benefits on Nov. 1, 2025, but the longest government shutdown in U.S. history prevented her from accessing this resource to ensure her family had nutritious meals while managing their plethora of medical and household bills. The news that SNAP benefits were paused was frightening and left Kimberly and her family without crucial support.
“At that time, I was like ‘Oh my gosh, this is going to affect thousands, millions of people that depend upon it. There’s going to be families that aren’t going to be able to you know feed their children,” said Kimberly.
She also worried about the impact this would have on heading into the holiday season—a time when money is tight and the need for food assistance increases.
“All of the resources that are available out there, you know, everybody is going to run short.’’ Kimberly worried.
Without SNAP benefits, Kimberly and her husband took every measure they could to provide for their family.
“We reduced our phones down the basic minimum, shut off the United Fiber for TV,” said Kimberly. “We’ve had some family and friends that have been helping us with all sorts of things, from furniture to clothes and things like that.”
Despite this stressful time, Kimberly expressed gratitude for her community and remained hopeful.
“Neighbors are going to have to help neighbors. That’s what’s been going on in my neighborhood, and it is so special. It’s a lot for me, but that’s the only way that I think that this country will make it through this. I think it will pass.”
The government shutdown ended on November 12, 2025, but the effects of withholding SNAP will continue to affect families like Kimberly’s that rely on consistent support to make it through hard times.
Harvesters provides emergency food assistance to families with low incomes. Hunger rates remain high, and many families need more than one-time emergency help with food. If you or someone you know needs more information about SNAP or receiving food assistance, call our SNAP Helpline at 1-877-653-9522.