Last month, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November would not be paid due to the federal government shutdown.
On Oct. 31, two federal judges ruled that food stamps funding needed to be retained despite the shutdown. The Trump administration complied by funding food stamps through the Agriculture Department contingency fund, which has 4.65 billion dollars in comparison to the 8 billion dollars of food assistance received by U.S. citizens every month.
On Nov. 7, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to fully fund food stamps. However, the Justice Department immediately informed the court that it would appeal, renewing the fears of many Americans who rely on the benefits.
Currently, around 42 million people—about one in every eight residents—in the U.S. depend on food stamps, on average receiving about $187 per month. Nearly 39% of those recipients are children and adolescents under the age of 18.
The reduced funding will cause families dependent on SNAP benefits to only receive partial payment, leaving no money left for the new SNAP applicants approved in November.
The Trump administration has refused to tap extra funds to pay for SNAP benefits. Due to the recent changes to food stamp funding, the M-A Canned Food Drive (CFD) has become vital for those experiencing food insecurity in the local community.
The CFD is a longstanding tradition at M-A, where students have about a month to collect cans and raise money for those in need. On Dec. 6, all the food collected is distributed during Distribution Day (D-Day) at the Ecumenical Hunger Program (EHP) in East Palo Alto.
“I think the biggest difference right now is with the federal government shutdown and the lack of support from the federal government,” Leadership Advisor Mike Amoroso said. “The demand is even higher this year than any other year that I’ve been a part of this canned food drive.”
The CFD helps EHP provide struggling families with thousands of fresh and canned goods and monetary benefits through donations. “The Canned Food Drive is so important right now because we have a lot of families whose benefits are being cut, and so the money that they relied on to purchase food for their families, they’re no longer receiving,” EHP Associate Director LaKesha Roberts said.
“We told local schools to spread the word that if there are people that need help, they definitely can come to EHP for support, ” Roberts said. “We hope that that knowledge will be spread, so that anyone who’s in need knows that they can come here to get food.”
Since this year’s demand for food is higher, canning is even more essential to the local community. “There is a higher overall stress on food banks and on charitable ways of giving food. For example, the canned food drive. So we’re more motivated because there’s a higher demand for food,” senior CFD Committee Leader Quinn Robbins said.
The CFD is not only a huge contribution to the community, but it is also recognized as the largest public high school-run canned food drive in the country. “It’s around 500 families per year, so it is a lot of people,” Robbins said.
The CFD has been a dedicated part of M-A since 1999. “There is one thing we’re really good at, and that’s the canned food drive,” senior Aarii Keswani said. Keswani is one of the heads of Leadership’s D-Day Committee.
In addition to being one of M-A’s longest traditions, the CFD is also one of the most popular. Most of the student body participates, whether it’s collecting cans at local grocery stores or helping distribute on D-Day. Last year, M-A raised over 260,000 cans, and the class of 2025 won the annual class competition with over 117,000 cans. This year, the goal is set at 300,000 cans, helping to fill the gap of the missing food from SNAP benefits.
“I think it shows the growth of the M-A student body overall for the past 26 years, and how much we’ve improved to help our community,” Keswani said. “It’s a very big deal, and we really do a great job helping out individuals and communities during the holiday.”
“I also really, really, really value this time of the school year, because I feel like the school comes together as one. No matter which club you’re in, no matter which sport you’re in, no matter where you live, everybody is a Bear and everybody participates,” Amoroso added.
Robbins emphasized the importance of spreading awareness and getting involved. “The two best ways to physically participate are to go canning—sign up at B-21 on the canning wall. You can’t miss it. And go to Distribution Day on December 6,” he said.
“If you can give your time to come and volunteer, or if you have the means to hold the drive and collect food items, we will take whatever we can to make sure that we are able to provide for those who must eat,” Roberts added.
Amoroso’s advice to those interested in helping out: “Get involved, it’s an amazing experience.”
As of now, the Trump administration is still pushing back on funding SNAP benefits despite multiple federal rulings, leaving many people worried about whether they will receive the help they need. At the moment, it is still unclear whether or not the Justice Department will have success with its appeal.
