EDITORS NOTE: Let them eat candy

On October 1st, a congressional stalemate triggered a record-setting government shutdown, leaving roughly 730,000 federal employees without pay.

Around the same time, Amazon announced massive layoffs that cut 140,000 corporate positions. Despite the assumption that white-collar work comes with financial safety nets, many families had little or no cushion to soften the blow. The sudden spike in job loss put real strain on our communities.

At least there are government services to help in moments like these—right?

On October 26th, families learned that the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) would not renew in November. By then, many households had already stretched their food budgets to the limit. SNAP supports 4.2 million families—most of them employed, woven into their communities, working hard but facing barriers that wages alone can’t bridge.

I know this because my family is one of them.

Six months ago, an unexpected shift in our lives left me working two jobs with two very young children. Every week is a delicate calculation: work more and pay more for childcare, or save on childcare and lose income. SNAP ensures that even when I’m exhausted and stretched thin, I can put healthy meals on the table without spending hours of my limited time in line at the food bank. If I had a choice, of course I wouldn’t want to rely on assistance—but I will always choose feeding my children over feeding my pride.

On October 26th, after reading the announcement, I sat on the floor, cried, and tried to figure out how to make $33.17 last. I stared down the upcoming holidays, car registration, mortgage, credit cards. What bill could I afford to fall behind on so my kids could keep eating?

But as any parent of young children knows, you don’t stay on the floor for long. Once I pieced together a plan, I got up and dove into Halloween preparations.

On October 31st, I walked through our neighborhood with the cutest owl and dinosaur you can imagine. As we went door to door, I noticed something remarkable: many neighbors had not just candy, but real food—mac and cheese, soup, boxes of pasta, milk, juice—set out discreetly for adults to take. Our community had quietly come together to support one another when our government could not. That same night, judges filed petitions challenging the executive order, reflecting that same spirit of care and resistance.

By November 12th, the shutdown ended, SNAP was restored, and life in Washington returned to “business as usual.” But taking away pay or benefits— even briefly—has lasting consequences. Millions of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, many barely scraping by. These disruptions are not political strategy; they are direct harms to vulnerable families.

This holiday season, whether you find yourself donating to a food bank or relying on one, I hope you know this: your value is not measured by your income or your circumstances.. You are worth far more than your tax dollars.

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