Jose Rodriguez/THE RIDER
SNAP benefits for thousands of Rio Grande Valley residents remain uncertain as the federal government shutdown continues, leading some UTRGV students to seek food assistance on campus and at local pantries.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered through state agencies, helps low-income households pay for groceries.
With federal appropriations halted during the shutdown, some Valley residents and students said they have already seen delays.
About 310,000 Hidalgo County residents received benefits as of August, according to Omar I. Rodriguez, director of grants and government relations for the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley.
Rodriguez said demand for emergency food has surged in recent weeks as families brace for missed payments.
“In some cases, we have seen nearly a 100% increase in the amount of neighbors coming in,” he said. “A lot of families ran out of their SNAP benefits toward the end of the month, and seeing the news that they’re not going to get their benefits in November, they’re coming in to make sure they have food.”
Rodriguez said the food bank is preparing to purchase emergency food supplies for distribution because federal food supplies are limited during the shutdown.
“Right now, it is an emergency,” he said. “The longer the shutdown continues, the more impacts we’re going to see.”
For some UTRGV students, the delays are already affecting their ability to buy food.
Ashley Pena, a mass communication senior, said she and her partner applied for SNAP in October after her partner was laid off. They received benefits once before the shutdown began but have not seen funds since.
“We got SNAP for September, but our October benefits never came because the government shut down,” Pena said. “We ran out of food, and now I’m going to the university pantry. Fresh meat is kind of becoming, like, I don’t have money for that.”
She said she visits the UTRGV Student Food Pantry weekly to help stretch her meals. The pantry provides canned goods, noodles, rice and occasional fresh or frozen items, but Pena said the support only lasts a few days.
“It’s not seven days worth of food,” she said. “It’ll last me at least half a week, and I am so grateful, but it’s not the same as having SNAP benefits.”
Pena added the stress of not knowing whether she will receive assistance next month makes it harder to focus on school.
“It’s another layer of uncertainty on top of school stress,” she said. “It’s like a cherry on top of my stress cake.”
Mark Kaswan, associate professor of political science at UTRGV, said federal nutrition programs are vulnerable during shutdowns because they rely on congressional funding.
“When appropriations expire, anybody dependent on federal aid [and] welfare programs like SNAP may see those programs cut,” Kaswan said. “People may have to go into debt in the meantime.”
Rodriguez said families, students and federal workers in the Valley facing food insecurity can contact the Food Bank RGV or visit a local pantry. He encouraged students to use the university pantry as well.
For more information, visit the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley website.
–Sofía Cantú Sauceda, Mariah Escobar and Hugo Sepúlveda contributed to the story
