The following op-ed, written by Second Harvest’s president and executive director, Michelle Orge, ran in The Cap Times on Saturday, November 9.
Now that the government shutdown has ended, we are relieved that SNAP benefits will once again be available to help families facing hunger in our community. Unfortunately, the resolution to this latest political stalemate does not remove the barriers for neighbors who struggle to afford food — or the deeper crisis of food insecurity that persists in our community.
Hunger in southwestern Wisconsin doesn’t begin or end with a government shutdown. Even in less tumultuous times, despite most families having someone working one or more jobs, nearly 147,000 people — including 40,000 children — live in households that can’t always afford enough nutritious food. For the one in four families living paycheck to paycheck in this country, even one missed paycheck or delay in benefits can mean empty refrigerators and cupboards and impossible choices between rent, medication, and groceries. The shutdown exposed a stark reality: Too many families are just one crisis away from hunger.
Second Harvest Foodbank, community organizations, faith-based organizations and schools stepped up during the shutdown to fill the gap, but we cannot shoulder the challenge alone. The increased awareness of hunger in our community during the shutdown led to a corresponding awareness of the need for community support. But now that federal operations have resumed, we cannot simply return to “business as usual.” The need for strong, consistent support — both from policymakers and from members of the community — remains as urgent as ever.
Ending hunger requires more than reopening government offices; it demands sustained investment in the systems that help families thrive. That means fully funding nutrition programs like SNAP and WIC, expanding access to school meals, and strengthening local food assistance networks. It also means addressing the root causes of food insecurity: low wages, rising housing costs, and lack of access to affordable health care.
Each of us can play a role. By investing in Second Harvest Foodbank and our network of resource providers and endorsing policies that uphold nutrition assistance and equitable wages, we fortify the broader safety net.
The end of the shutdown is not the end of the story — it’s an opportunity to recommit to the work ahead. Hunger doesn’t wait for Washington to get its act together, and neither should we. If this crisis has reminded us of anything, it’s that the strength of our nation depends on how we care for those who need support the most.
The lights may be back on in government buildings, but the real work — the work of feeding families and building a more secure future — must keep going.
