My heart sank as I read the text message my parents asked me to translate for them. Although they understand some English, they wanted to make sure that they were reading the statement from the Department of Social Services correctly.

Reading the text, The federal government announced that there will not be any new SNAP benefits in November, immediately triggered stress, fear, and a sense of vulnerability for both my parents and I.

The feeling of anxiety seemed familiar. I live with my parents and four siblings and we depend on SNAP and WIC for food security. Every winter, we always struggle to keep the fridge full as my dad is the only source of income in the family. His work in construction and home improvement slows down dramatically during the colder months, leaving us with less money to cover for basic needs. This winter, our access to food is even more important as we have recently been blessed with a young sibling.

Facing this upcoming winter season without the SNAP benefits would leave us in an even more vulnerable position, making it incredibly difficult to ensure we have enough to eat or meet the additional needs of our growing family.

Since finding out that SNAP benefits will be cut, my mind has been racing with questions: How will we manage? What will we eat? Will we even eat? This lump in my throat has not gone away as I think about many other households that are in the exact same position as us. Just like my family, there are families that have been living paycheck-to-paycheck even before cuts to food-assistance programs were announced – in CT, about 391,000 people, roughly 10.6% of the state’s population, receive SNAP benefits each month. I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be for families to afford not just healthy meals but meals in general, especially during times of financial stress and recent food costs.

It’s not just low income families with kids that are being affected by this. The elderly, especially those retired, people with disabilities, and people with chronic illnesses are part of this community as well.

Even brief periods without enough nutritious food can be life-threatening. Many individuals with diet-related conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or kidney disease depend on SNAP benefits to afford the healthy foods they need to stay well. Because these benefits are now unavailable, these individuals will now have to turn to cheaper options which are usually highly processed options or will even have to skip meals. Both options are just as bad for their health.

Although food insecurity is present in every community, some parts of Connecticut have a higher rate than others. According to Feeding America, a non-profit organization, they’ve noticed that residents from Greater Bridgeport, South Central Connecticut, Naugatuck Valley, Capitol Region, and Southeastern Connecticut have food insecurity rates higher than the state average, while lower northeastern CT have significantly lower rates than the state average. Data also shows that Black/African American and Hispanic/Latine families have a higher rate for facing food insecurity than that of White families not just in Connecticut, but nationwide. Part of the reason includes uneven food access.

Because food banks expect increased demand in Connecticut, I think the state can consider a larger funding program until federal funds resume to expand distribution sites, increase mobile pantries, and partner with local stores to accept emergency vouchers. In fact, Governor Ned Lamont has already called a special legislative session to decide whether Connecticut will fill the gaps for SNAP recipients, proposing to use up to $500 million in reserve funds to ensure families continue receiving food assistance through the federal shutdown.

However, Connecticut’s leaders should also take action on the federal level. While state efforts are essential to support residents during challenging times, it’s equally important for these leaders to use their platform to advocate for national change. They should push for the federal government to resume funding for food assistance programs, establish contingency plans to prevent future shutdown disruptions, and ensure that vital programs like SNAP remain protected for those who rely on them most.

Governor Lamont’s plan to hold a special legislative session and potentially use reserve funds shows that the state leaders recognize the urgency of this crisis. However, even before calling this session, he had already taken an initial step by allocating $3 million in emergency state funding to the nonprofit Connecticut Foodshare to bolster food-pantries across the state.

While this is a meaningful gesture, this isn’t enough compared to what other state governors are offering. For instance, in Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin immediately declared a state of emergency in late October by launching the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance (VENA) to ensure food benefits would continue for residents suffering from the shutdown of federal support for programs like SNAP. This will allow the state to issue $37.5 million a week from the state surplus via existing EBT cards.

This government shutdown is no longer a political event. It is directly threatening the well-being of families like mine and many others who rely on these benefits for daily nourishment. Food is a basic necessity, it shouldn’t be a privilege.

 Maria G. Limon-Cerezo is a senior majoring in Health Science with a concentration in Public Health at Sacred Heart University.