A volunteer helps with food distribution for a summer food program for Arkansas students on July 3, 2025. Food banks in the state are preparing for possible interruptions to SNAP and increased demand at their pantries if the ongoing government shutdown is not resolved. (Photo by Ainsley Platt/Arkansas Advocate)
November is the busiest time of year at Arkansas Foodbank, and the federal government shutdown threatens to create additional need for the nonprofit’s services from the state’s SNAP recipients and federal employees.
The shutdown brings uncertainty about how long food safety net programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can continue paying out benefits to those enrolled across the U.S. In Arkansas, which has one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the country, food banks like Northwest Arkansas Food Bank are preparing for an expected surge in demand if the shutdown isn’t resolved in short order…