Right now, nearly 600,000 Hoosiers who depend on food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are in limbo. Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, SNAP benefits for November are at risk—and there is no clear plan to protect them.

According to the USDA, unless funding is restored or a contingency plan is approved, Indiana will not be authorized to distribute federal SNAP benefits in November. The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) has confirmed this reality. Yet outdated or conflicting public statements have left many SNAP recipients confused and anxious about how they’ll feed their families.

This isn’t just a bureaucratic issue—it’s a moral one. If no action is taken, Indiana food banks will be left to fill a $100 million gap each month. That is not sustainable. And it is not acceptable to let politics in Washington jeopardize the basic nutritional needs of children, seniors, and working families here at home.

We call on the Indiana State Budget Committee, Governor Eric Holcomb, and the Indiana General Assembly to act immediately. We support the proposal by State Rep. Gregory Porter to authorize emergency funding to cover any lapse in federal SNAP support. The state must also develop a long-term plan to shield food assistance programs like SNAP and WIC from future shutdowns.

No child in Indiana should go to bed hungry because of congressional dysfunction. No parent should have to wonder whether they'll be able to buy groceries next week. We need state leaders to step in where the federal government has failed.

Sign this petition to demand swift action to protect food assistance for all Hoosiers—during this shutdown and beyond.