KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
The government shutdown will continue into Day 21 after Senate Democrats blocked the funding bill for the 11th time.
While lawmakers remain in a standoff over expiring healthcare subsidies, some families are left wondering if they will be able to put food on the table.
The Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) announced on Monday that November SNAP benefits cannot be issued due to the federal government shutdown. Officials warned Missourians should prepare to stretch their October balance into the next month if the shutdown continues.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and benefits will be issued as soon as federal funds become available," DSS Director Jess Bax said.
667,117 Missourians received SNAP benefits in September 2025, totaling $131,554,978. SNAP in Missouri is 100% paid for by the .
Nearly 450 Kansas City families go to Operation Breakthrough for childcare, education and community programs. Every family is on SNAP benefits and has the option to use the non-profit's food pantry.
Operation Breakthrough's CEO explained the pantry's shelves are usually full, but staffers have been passing out nearly 100 food bags daily.
"We just have seen a much greater demand," Mary Esselman, president and CEO of Operation Breakthrough, said. "Food is coming in and going out a lot quicker, and I anticipate that's only going to go up. I imagine every family here is going to need to use the pantry more often if they don't receive SNAP benefits in November."
Parents told KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne the monthly SNAP benefits don't cover as much at the grocery store with rising prices.
"It doesn't stretch exactly enough," Jessica Lovett, a mother of four, said. "I tried my best to make it stretch, but I do have four mouths to feed."
That stretch is now expected to last longer, though. Missouri won't be issuing SNAP benefits for November.
"Fear, just fear," Lovett said. "I don't know how I'm going to feed my kids."
Operation Breakthrough is making plans to add to their food pantry, which already serves 175 families a week. Esselman explained pantries across the metro are expecting empty shelves in the coming weeks.
"Those SNAP benefits are the difference between needing to come to the pantry and not needing to come to the pantry, depending on family sizes," Esselman said. "If [SNAP] doesn't exist, all of those families will need to be supported by the pantry as well."
Missouri DSS recommends families try to use their October SNAP dollars into November, but parents say that's not realistic.
"It's not going to last us the whole November, it doesn't even last until the next release of SNAP benefits," Diamond Williams, another mother, said. "To last the next month all the way until December? It won't. We will be starving."
Parents and pantries are bracing for the impact, frustrated if the shutdown continues.
"Us parents, for the government to shut down, we didn't do anything," Williams said. "But we're taking all the backlash of getting all of our benefits taken and removed for nothing."
Operation Breakthrough is accepting food donations for its pantry, especially nonperishable items. A list of food pantries in the metro can be found here.
