The shutdown is not just a political standoff. It’s a crisis. And in New Hampshire, it’s hitting stomachs first. With federal programs frozen and paychecks stalled, families across the state are turning to food banks, not out of choice, but out of necessity. The New Hampshire Food Bank, in coordination with the state government, has launched emergency food distributions to fill the gap. But let’s be clear: this is a bandage, not a solution.
When the government shuts down, it doesn’t just stop funding. It stops feeding. SNAP benefits stall. WIC offices close. School lunch programs tighten. And the people who rely on these services, low-income families, seniors, children, are left scrambling. The shutdown turns daily survival into a guessing game. Will there be food tomorrow? Will the pantry have enough? Will the state step in before it’s too late?
New Hampshire’s response has been swift, but limited. Mobile food pantries have popped up in towns like Berlin, Keene, and Laconia. Volunteers are working overtime. Trucks are being loaded. But the need is growing faster than the supply. And the question we should be asking isn’t just “Where can people get food?” It’s “Why are they being forced to rely on emergency aid in the first place?”
This isn’t just about logistics. It’s about justice. Food insecurity is not a natural disaster. It’s a policy failure. When elected officials allow a shutdown to drag on, they’re not just delaying paperwork. They’re denying meals. They’re creating hunger. And they’re doing it knowingly.
The New Hampshire Food Bank is doing heroic work. No one doubts that. But they shouldn’t have to. In a functioning democracy, food banks should be supplemental, not structural. They should support communities, not sustain them. When they become the primary source of nutrition for thousands, something is deeply broken.
Let’s talk numbers. The Food Bank serves over 400 partner agencies. That includes soup kitchens, shelters, and pantries. During the shutdown, demand has surged. Lines are longer. Shelves are emptier. And the volunteers? They’re exhausted. This is not sustainable. Not for the Food Bank. Not for the families. Not for the state.
Governor Chris Sununu has praised the partnership. He’s called it a “critical resource.” But praise doesn’t feed people. Policy does. And right now, the state’s policy is reactive. It’s scrambling. It’s patching holes. What we need is a proactive plan. One that guarantees food access regardless of federal dysfunction. One that treats hunger as a public health emergency, not a charitable opportunity.
The shutdown is a federal issue. But its consequences are local. They show up in grocery bills. In empty fridges. In skipped meals. And while Congress debates, New Hampshire residents wait. They wait for checks. For benefits. For clarity. And in the meantime, they rely on food banks that were never meant to carry this weight.
We need to stop normalizing this. Emergency food distributions should not be routine. They should not be expected. They should not be the fallback every time Washington fails. Because every time we treat hunger as a temporary inconvenience, we ignore the structural inequities that make it permanent.
So what’s the call to action? First, end the shutdown. That’s obvious. But second, build state-level safeguards. Create contingency funds. Expand local food programs. Invest in infrastructure that doesn’t collapse when federal support disappears. Because hunger doesn’t wait. And neither should we.
Third, hold leaders accountable. Ask your representatives what they’re doing—not just in D.C., but in Concord. Are they fighting for food access? Are they funding emergency programs? Are they showing up when it matters? If not, they shouldn’t be in office.
And finally, support the Food Bank. Not because it’s the solution, but because it’s the stopgap. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. But don’t let that be the end of your engagement. Let it be the beginning.
The shutdown has exposed a truth we’ve ignored for too long: our food systems are fragile. Our safety nets are thin. And our political will is inconsistent. If we want to change that, we need more than emergency aid. We need structural reform. We need bold policy. We need leaders who treat hunger like the crisis it is.
Because in New Hampshire, the lines at the food bank aren’t just about food. They’re about failure. And it’s time we stopped accepting that.
