This year marks the seventh year anniversary of the Lane Tech food pantry. Culture and Climate director Gabriela Escobar has made it her mission to provide essentials to those in need. When the federal government went into shutdown, Lane Tech’s established food pantry saw a change in quantity, as individual students sought for services to provide for their families as well. 

As Democrats and Republicans in the federal government debated, an email was sent to students on Oct. 28, as Escobar announced the creation of a confidential food service program.

“As soon as I mentioned it, they were already starting to ask for additional donations because of the SNAP benefits being suspended,” Escobar said. “And then in terms of identifying who needed it, I don’t ask. I just put it out there, and whoever wants to take advantage of it can.”

With the help of the Lane Tech Alumni Association, she has organized food and clothing drives to support low-income families. Overall, the recent government shutdown left families financially vulnerable and in need of assistance.

From Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, the U.S. federal government went into a nationwide shutdown after a budget impasse between Democrats and Republicans. The budget deadlock meant many “non-essential” federal employees were left without pay, disrupting the lives of millions of Americans.

TSA agents, judicial branch staff, Coast Guard members, and other public safety workers were required to report to their jobs without pay, facing potential termination if they took  unauthorized time off. Agencies that rely on continuous staffing suffered from setbacks as airport lines grew and emergency responses slowed.

Social welfare programs also endured partial suspensions along with food and drug services, leaving the public at risk for health issues. SNAP benefits faltered, routine FDA inspections were delayed, and the Women, Infants, and Children and Nutrition program (WIC) alerted families about reduced clinic operations. 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), provides monthly benefits through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards to support low-income households, serving citizens since 1964. 

According to CNBC, the suspension of EBT/SNAP benefits left approximately 42 million Americans—22.3 million of them families—at risk of food insecurity and struggling to buy groceries. 

Chicagoans immediately felt the effects in their city. Pilsen Food Pantry has been serving families since 2018. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, the pantry saw new faces emerge as the crisis continued. “We saw it in the weeks leading up to it. More people came in because they were worried about not having enough food, so they were tending to stock up particularly on items that they aren’t always popular,” a staff member stated. 

Delays in social welfare services created financial shortcomings on families going into the holiday season, raising the likelihood of food insecurity. Families who once relied on government assistance faced new uncertainty. 

On the first day of the shutdown, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) issued a statement denouncing the White House’s actions. “The Trump administration and their congressional allies are playing political games at the expense of everyday people,” the Union said. Following the shutdown, the CTU worked with CPS schools to share resources and inform the public of their rights through the union’s website. 

“We want to bring joy back to our classrooms and create a better school day for all students,” the CTU said. As CPS schools search for ways to help students and their families meet their needs, Lane Tech has utilized their own methods to support the community.

The House voted to end the government shutdown on Nov. 12, making it the second-longest government shutdown in American history, beating the initial 35-day record in 2019 during President Donald Trump’s first term. Congress reached the decision to create a temporary bill eligible up to Jan. 1, and pay partial compensation to a portion of workers who missed pay during the impasse. 

As low-income students and teachers face direct challenges, Lane Tech shows effort in trying to provide safe communities to their students. Dean Martin has worked for years with students, helping Lane Tech students navigate personal challenges. 

“I think continuing to have honest conversations about what they’re going through, not trying to provide an instant solution, but to empathize with one another, have compassion, and then also reach out and let us know how we can actually help encourage one another through it,” Martin said.

Starting Feb. 1, Chicago will enforce new rules that require adults ages 18-64 to show proof of work, volunteer for hours monthly, or endure training in order to continue to receive SNAP/EBT installments. This was a direct order from the federal government post shutdown. On the City of Chicago website, it stated that “over 340,000 Illinoisans are at risk of losing benefits and meals on their tables if they cannot demonstrate that they meet work requirements or qualify for an exemption.”

As new financial shifts come into fruition and the holidays begin, Americans cautiously prepare changes that have yet to come.