Government Shutdown Exacerbates Nationwide Hunger Crisis Threatening SNAP Benefits for 42 Million

The ongoing government shutdown in 2025 has led to a surge in food insecurity across the United States as federal aid programs like SNAP face disruption. In Maryland, food pantries such as The Community Hope Center are seeing new faces, including families who have never before needed assistance, as federal workers and contractors struggle without pay. Nationwide, nearly 42 million Americans risk losing access to food assistance if the shutdown continues, with Texas alone potentially losing $614 million in SNAP aid, impacting thousands of retailers and families. In California, millions who depend on SNAP face the immediate threat of benefit suspension, prompting state leaders to sue the Trump administration to use contingency funds to maintain payments, though disruptions are expected regardless. Experts warn that the shutdown could trigger the worst hunger crisis since the Great Depression, emphasizing that food banks cannot compensate for the loss of federal support. The situation underscores urgent calls for bipartisan action to end the shutdown and restore federal food assistance programs to prevent widespread hunger and economic damage.