The past few months of this presidential administration have been stressful for a number of reasons. One of the largest reasons can be traced back to the recent government shutdown, which, most notably, caused a pause in SNAP benefits for millions of Americans.
SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides credits to help afford food for those below certain income margins. Many students at Benson fall beneath that line and rely on SNAP benefits to purchase meals. While the shutdown has ended, and SNAP benefits have been restored, students in our community still feel the lingering effects of the shutdown.
A senior who was interviewed, and asked to stay anonymous due to the stigma surrounding SNAP, expressed that they, “think there was a solid effort to provide information about resources and support students. I will, however, always complain that the school lunches and especially breakfasts do not feel like enough food for teenagers.”
A freshman who also uses SNAP benefits disagrees slightly. They would’ve felt more support from the Benson community if there were “people protesting and going against it.” They also mentioned how other schools were participating in and running food drives to provide meals to those affected.
A sophomore, who wished to stay anonymous due to similar reasons, shared that, “I wouldn’t say I felt supported, but I wouldn’t say I felt unsupported. I didn’t receive anything, and not many people really seemed to notice or care.” They added that they “wouldn’t say it was super disheartening.”
The same student also expressed their fear over the shutdown, and the state of our country. “I think that the government shutdown is genuinely f***ed and is the worst thing I’ve seen happen in so long, the fact that me, a nearly middle-class child […] in a decently stable family is affected badly makes me fear for what happened to the less fortunate, especially government workers who were no longer paid. Words cannot express my frustration and anger. I can’t believe it was even a thought I would be starving to death.”
