The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food benefits to help families budget their expenses. SNAP is the nation’s most relied on anti-hunger program, supporting over 41 million American families (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities).
The federally funded program is designed to help families with low incomes, disabilities, veterans and adults aged 60 and over afford their everyday meals. In order to receive SNAP, the people applying must meet certain criteria to demonstrate their need and abide by guidelines. Monthly, each eligible family receives around $187 to put food on their table. Not only does SNAP assist families financially, but one of its other main benefits is giving students (K-12) free or reduced-price lunches (Johns Hopkins).
On Nov. 1, 2025, SNAP stopped giving out aid due to the government shutdown that began on Oct. 1. Communities nationwide are being subjected to the change, including North Liberty, Iowa. The North Liberty Food Pantry is one business that has taken on the hardships of the government shutdown, alongside the struggles due to the discontinuation of SNAP benefits.
Ryan Bobst (he/him), the executive director at the North Liberty Food Pantry, explains how the business will continue to be negatively affected by the discontinuation.
“We have the support of our community to meet the needs today; however, this is a situation that requires a policy solution. We need our neighbors to have SNAP benefits because we, as the shelter, can not make up the difference for those families; we are a supplemental resource that has become the primary and now almost the pull (primary) source of food for some families,” said Bobst.
As aid decreases because of the ongoing government shutdown, feelings and emotions arise. Businesses and companies are experiencing frustration when it comes to how the shutdown is going to further impact them.
“I had a lot of emotion. I felt angry, I felt sad [and] I felt worried. I’m very concerned for our neighbors who were already struggling before the shutdown was in full effect. Now, with the elimination of SNAP, I’m concerned because these are people who are working so hard to put food on the table, and it’s being taken away from them. All of these people are eligible for SNAP benefits, and out of no fault of their own, it’s being taken away from them,” Bobst said.
The North Liberty Food Pantry isn’t the only place in North Liberty that will suffer the consequences. Liberty High School holds 1,323 students, and out of that number, approximately 25% of students receive free and reduced school lunches.
Brooke Bulman (she/her), a Student Family Advocate at Liberty, shares how she is worried about her students.
“[Out of] the percentage of students who get the free and reduced lunch, half of those, if not all of those, are receiving some sort of SNAP benefits,” Bulman said. “That number really shows that there are limited resources, and that’s part of the issue. If all of [their] money is going towards food to buy, that’s less money they have for rent, new clothes and overall basic utility needs.”
North Liberty and many communities around Iowa are being impacted by the suspension of this beneficial aid for both the students and their families. With help from outside sources during this difficult time, it can help neighborhoods survive.
To help Iowa with the discontinuation, the Department of Health and Human Services will use state funds to match food bank donations, up to one million dollars, starting on Nov. 3 to support families (KCRG).
