""You think I want to be right here stealing so my son can get milk?," she had told the security guard. "Look what I'm stealing: toilet paper, diapers.""
""I get to cook. I refuse to go to them fast-food places," said Anthony Cassidy, standing outside the food bank with a basket full of fruits and vegetables."
A government shutdown delayed distribution of SNAP benefits for two weeks, abruptly cutting off a major source of food assistance for low-income residents in a high-cost region. Many recipients turned to food pantries, charitable distributions, and sporadic gig work while grocery prices remained high. Some individuals resorted to shoplifting essential items such as diapers and toilet paper to provide for children. Others emphasized that SNAP enabled home cooking and healthier choices compared with fast food. Short-term interruptions to benefits produced immediate harm to nutrition, dignity, and household stability.
Read at Kqed
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