Menasha, Wis., (October 31, 2025) – Local food pantries and community organizations are preparing for a surge in demand as the federal government shutdown continues, putting critical nutrition assistance at risk for more than 33,000 people in the Fox Valley and 700,000 residents across Wisconsin.*
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known in Wisconsin as FoodShare, provides essential monthly support to help individuals and families afford groceries and keep food on the table. During this federal shutdown, SNAP funding has become uncertain, and the administration has not agreed to release their multi-billion-dollar SNAP contingency fund to temporarily ensure families’ access to food.
“Look around, one in eight receives FoodShare benefits in the state of Wisconsin. This may be your elderly mother, your friend who lost their job, or a family who is already struggling with childcare and transportation,” said Patricia Sarvela, Chief Development Officer for Partnership Community Health Center. “Local food pantries are already stretched thin, and we’re expecting an even greater demand in the coming weeks. This isn’t a program that affects others, it affects all of us.”
The loss or delay of FoodShare benefits will have far-reaching impacts across both small towns and big cities. In fact, seven of the ten Wisconsin counties with the highest FoodShare participation are rural, emphasizing how deeply food insecurity cuts across geography. While FoodShare serves a racially and ethnically diverse population, data dispels common misconceptions: the majority of FoodShare recipients in Wisconsin are white, representing the widespread impact of this shutdown.
“At Multicultural Coalition, we are here to take care of our most vulnerable populations, along with food pantries throughout northeast Wisconsin. It’s with this in mind that we are asking for the community’s support to make sure no one goes hungry. From our end, we expect an uptick of about 20 percent of families with basic needs and are asking the community for help with donations of dried beans and rice. Local food pantries, overall, are going to need the community’s increased support,” said Lisa Cruz, executive director for Multicultural Coalition, Inc.
Call to Action
Right now, the federal administration has a critical responsibility to use the billions in SNAP contingency funds to cover benefits through November. Like they did to support the WIC program, the federal agency can also transfer other funds to cover SNAP funds. However, all of these solutions are ultimately temporary. Advocates are also calling on Congress and the administration to act swiftly to ensure families do not lose access to food assistance.
“Families should not go hungry because of Congress’ failure to take action,” said Amanda Martinez, Senior Policy Analyst at Kids Forward. “We urge lawmakers to prioritize people over politics and fully fund SNAP without delay.”
For the long-term, Wisconsin lawmakers and the Governor must come together to make sure FoodShare has the funding it needs to keep providing groceries to families. The federal megabill, passed in July, includes the largest cut to SNAP in our nation’s history, dramatically shifting costs to states. The Wisconsin legislature should approve about $69 million in state funds necessary to implement critical changes and avoid hundreds of millions in federal fees. State decision makers need to get these new requirements up and running ASAP.
*As of Sept 2025, 33,567 FoodShare members in Outagamie, Calumet and Winnebago counties: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare/individual-summary.htm
About Multicultural Coalition, Inc.
Multicultural Coalition, Inc. (MCI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was developed in October 2020 with the vision to improve the lives of all by creating a community that prospers together. Multicultural Coalition, Inc.’s mission is to elevate all communities through responsive and innovative actions to create and build a movement of positive and sustainable change, together. MCI’s vision is to create sustainable communities that prosper together through a collective vision of dismantling systemic barriers and centering humanitarianism. For more information, visit ourmci.org and Multicultural Coalition, Inc. on Facebook.
About Kids Forward
Kids Forward is a statewide antiracist policy center that inspires action and advocates for children and families of color and those furthest from opportunity in Wisconsin. Kids Forward envisions a Wisconsin where every child thrives.
