Food Help in Danger: Why the Government Shutdown Hits Hard

The government shutdown is now in its 28th day, making it the second-longest in history. Soon, about 42 million Americans will lose their food help. This is a big deal because these people really need this support to eat. America is known for taking care of its people. It's part of who we are. But right now, Congress needs to step up and make sure food help keeps going. The best way to fix this is to pass a clean funding bill to reopen the government. If that can't happen, at least pass a bill to keep food help going. Millions of Americans rely on food help just to get by. This program, often called food stamps, helps people buy basic food. Last year, about 42 million people used this help. That's over 12 percent of the population. This help isn't for people who don't need it. It's for those who make about $42, 000 or less for a family of four. For these people, food help is not a luxury. It's a necessity to feed their children. The people who get this help include young parents, people with disabilities, and families who have lost their jobs. It also helps veterans. About 1. 2 million veterans rely on this food help. The shutdown has already caused a lot of problems. Important services have been cut, and many government workers are not getting paid. But letting food help lapse would make things much worse. Congress needs to act now to make sure no one goes hungry. It's time to put people first and make sure everyone has enough to eat.