By Jenelle Vincent
At the end of October, the federal government announced that people receiving food assistance though the SNAP program would not get their normal payments in November. The Trump administration stated that because of the government shutdown, there were not enough funds to last through the month. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) had about $5 billion in emergency funding that it was refusing to use to cover the deficit. Last week, the government shutdown ended, and SNAP funds are scheduled to go out this week.
Although SNAP is being restored, this situation illustrates how the government always has the means to fund violence, such as the genocide in Gaza, but never hesitates to make budget cuts to programs helping working class people. It is more important than ever to come together in solidarity and provide for our communities. Donate to the People’s Distro, a worker-run distribution bringing fresh food, supplies, and service to Cleveland communities. We are joining other grassroots programs to step up when our government is failing us.