Guardian: The United States is on the brink of the largest hunger crisis since the Great Depression

The British newspaper "Guardian" warned that about 42 million Americans are at risk of losing food assistance within days if the federal government shutdown continues and funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is not renewed at the beginning of November, which could lead to the largest hunger disaster in the United States since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The newspaper reported that political disputes between Republicans and Democrats threaten to freeze vital funding for the program that millions of low-income working families, seniors, and people with disabilities rely on.

Warnings of a “historic hunger disaster”

Joel Berg, the executive director of Hunger-Free America, stated that the cessation of funding “will lead to an unprecedented hunger disaster since the Great Depression, and I do not say this lightly.”
He added that this potential crisis comes amid tense economic conditions and rising food prices, which increases the burden on the most vulnerable families.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the previously passed "Great Beautiful Trump Project" law actually caused a reduction of about $187 billion in funding for the SNAP program, exacerbating the fragility of the federal food system.

Funding about to run out

According to the report, the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent urgent instructions to program directors in various states, warning of funding depletion by the end of this month, requesting to suspend payments “until further notice.”

In contrast, more than 200 Democratic representatives urged the department to use reserve funds to continue disbursing benefits, asserting that “it is the government’s duty to ensure food remains on the tables of millions of families during the current political crisis.”

Blame game between the parties

The two main parties are exchanging blame for the financial deadlock. While Democrats refuse to pass a government funding bill without including provisions to protect health insurance support under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), Republicans accuse them of obstructing food assistance for political reasons.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture stated to Fox News: “We are approaching a critical point for Democrats in the Senate: either continue stalling for healthcare for the undocumented, or reopen the government so that mothers, children, and the most vulnerable can receive benefits in a timely manner.”



SNAP Program in Numbers

About 42 million Americans benefit from it.

Beneficiaries must be at or below the federal poverty line.

The average monthly benefit is about $187 per individual.


As political paralysis continues in Washington, experts warn that the cessation of this program could lead to the disintegration of the American social safety net and reveal an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in a country considered one of the richest in the world.