When the federal government shut down on Oct. 1, 2025, millions of Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) faced uncertainty about how they would afford and secure food. Roughly 42 million people receive SNAP benefits nationwide, and many are now struggling to get through the month.
Tami Luhby and Devan Cole from CNN said that the “$4.65 billion from [SNAP’s]… contingency fund will ‘be obligated to cover 50% of eligible households’ [and that]…the remaining $600 million in the fund will be used for state administrative expenses and nutrition assistance for Puerto Rico and American Samoa.” Even with this emergency funding, many families are receiving reduced assistance.
In the Grayslake community, residents are stretching food supplies and, in some cases, limiting themselves to one meal a day.
Local businesses are gearing up for the busy holiday shopping season with this added stressor. At Costco locations in Mettawa and Lake Zurich, employees and managers Rampage spoke to said they were “too busy” to discuss any plans to support customers affected by SNAP reductions. According to Macro Trends, Costco’s data shows that in 2025, annual revenue reached $275.235 billion.” Target representatives also stated that the chain is focused on holiday preparations rather than addressing this issue.
In Grayslake’s Avon Township, the pressure to supply food is felt deeply. Township Supervisor Michele Bauman said the nonprofit food pantry has “run out of food” every distribution day since the shutdown began. She believes that the local government is the eyes and ears of the community. They see the struggles because they are there every day.
Despite the unfortunate circumstances, Bauman said she has witnessed a great deal of support from residents. She said that many people began collecting on their own. The Grayslake Chapel also runs a food drive, stating, “Each month we feed over 1,000 guests,” which is a huge help. Bauman said, “That’s where the real change is,” when we help one another instead of just watching the news and feeling helpless.
After the government shutdown ended on Nov. 12, 2025, hope that SNAP benefit limitations, community support will only hopeful to grow.
