$29 million in Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were dispersed on Nov. 5, with 196,000 households in Nevada receiving 0 to 50 percent of their original benefit amount. 

Due to the U.S. government shutdown, these benefits were halted on Nov. 1, which left approximately 500 thousand Nevadans and 42 million Americans without access to federal food assistance. Partial benefits were granted after two federal judges ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to utilize $5.3 billion emergency contingency funds.

“I feel like the government should’ve absolutely been protecting programs like SNAP during this shutdown, especially since they’re still taxing citizens,” senior Celeste Baumgartner said. “Without them they are left relying on food banks and couponing, which may not always be feasible since things like couponing are the most effective when you do it at multiple locations, and sometimes they might not be able to do that.”

$38.6 million has been allocated by Gov. Joe Lombardo and the Nevada Interim Finance committee to support local food pantries such as Three Square and the Food Bank of Northern Nevada to accommodate the influx of people. These funds are expected to last for 12 weeks. 

“With the economy being the way that it is right now, and some people not being able to find jobs … it can make it really hard for a person or family to be able to provide for themselves,” senior Sarah Yang said. “So whether it’s donation centers or food banks, keeping those places open is really important … especially now.”

Clark County School District (CCSD) students whose families have been affected can rely on the district to provide free breakfast and lunch. 100% percent of students are eligible to receive free meals at CCSD school sites through the federal Community Eligibility Provisions (CEP) program. While the ongoing shutdown may threaten the funding of the CEP, the district will continue to provide free meals through November.  

“Things like this, where CCSD doesn’t have you pay for meals, really helps people like me who don’t have the money all the time just to buy lunch,” junior Robin Green said. “Without the SNAP benefits, having free lunch is something to look forward to, because at least you’re going to have a meal. It may not be the best meal, but it’ll be one that I won’t have to pay for … and that’s still a major help.”

In Nevada, the average SNAP benefit in 2024 was $166 per household member each month. Of all Nevadans who received these benefits, 40 percent were children. 

“These people are not getting thousands upon thousands of dollars a month, we’re talking just one or two hundred, which still really makes a difference in people’s lives,” Sociology teacher Benjamin LaCombe said. “You know, I would much rather spend my money feeding people than some of these other things the government spends our money on.”

Additional local food assistance resources can be found here.

“I feel like the government has been handling this situation in a very poor way,” Green said. “Because now, we’re seeing a lot of states like California and Nevada having to scramble together a bunch of last-minute efforts to make sure that people can eat for the month. It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen or experienced before, and it’s very jarring.”