Challenges tribes face as the U.S. government shutdown continues into second month

NOT ON OUR WATCH!! READ MY OTHER BLOG:  https://laratracehentz.wordpress.com/2025/11/04/not-on-our-watch/

Tribes’ Ability to Feed Families, Provide Child Welfare Services Threatened Under Second-Longest Government Shutdown in History

By Nancy Marie Spears

Starting Nov. 1, millions of people — including large percentages of Native American populations — may not receive their food stamps benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP. Photo by Adobe Stock.

Frost and freezes are starting to set in across the northern swaths of Indian Country, but the heat may soon get shut off in family homes. 

Lines at food banks on reservations are longer than usual. 

Tribal social workers are going without pay.

These are just a few of the challenges tribes face as the U.S. government shutdown continues into its second month.

“Every day without funding stretches social workers and law enforcement thin, putting vulnerable children in danger,” said Marisa Cummings, a citizen of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and a tribal consultant with 20 years of experience in federal policy and advocacy. 

Starting Nov. 1, millions of people may not receive their food stamps benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP. Also frozen: the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program; Head Start preschool funding; and Women, Infants and Children subsidies as the federal government heads toward a “fiscal cliff.”

In addition to the federal safety-net programs that are particularly vital to rural tribal communities, the shutdown has also halted funding that tribes get from the Bureau of Indian Affairs for child welfare and law enforcement services. That has prevented tribes from paying social workers and other essential staff, making it difficult to respond to child protection concerns, conduct home visits, or provide foster care prevention.

Aaron Payment

The Sault Ste. Marie of Chippewa Indians, the largest tribe east of the Mississippi, is projecting a 30% to 40% increased burden on its tribal commodities program because many citizens rely on the SNAP benefits slated to be paused.

The outcome will be dire, predicts councilmember Aaron Payment.

“We’re going to run out of food,” he said. 

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‘Unimaginable Hardship’ Ahead for Children and Families if Shutdown Continues

Among the most immediate impacts is loss of food stamps for more than 40 million Americans currently enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, referred to as SNAP.

“These vital benefits, that average around $6 a day, are for many families the difference between going hungry and getting by. They’re not an extra benefit. They are incredibly essential to the lives of many, many Minnesotans,” said Tikki Brown, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

Brown warned of widespread impact when this vital food assistance comes to a halt for more than 440,000 SNAP recipients in her state — 40% of whom are children. 

 

READ:  https://imprintnews.org/law-policy/hardship-ahead-for-children-and-families-if-shutdown-continues/268292

NĀTIFS, an Indigenous-led organization working to strengthen Native foodways nationally

 

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How much I changed (Part 6) #Starved into submission

By Trace Hentz

My entire childhood I had plenty of food.

This is not true for all humans, I know. Look at the news across the world, like in Gaza.

When it comes to this blog or writing about adoption or world events, I know I’m doing something right if I am afraid.

I spent most of my life afraid of upsetting people, avoiding that. Some might say that is low self-esteem but I think being afraid, fear itself, is a call to action. If you are afraid, then you know you are doing something right.  You are challenging yourself and breaking down your thoughts into something you can fix or not.

I could not change what happened in my childhood but I could change how I looked at being adopted. I could drop judgment. I could stop blaming my adoptive parents and my natural parents. I could turn “being adopted” into something good - or try to make my life and other lives better.

I heard Noam Chomsky on Democracy Now today describe how the occupiers of Palestine are using food insecurity to keep Palestine children alive but not enough to thrive! Too little food and starvation can be used as a weapon of war - with long-term consequences. Brains and bodies are affected long-term.

That is exactly what has happened here on American soil. YES! The American government only feeds American Indians junk with commodities (boxed or canned food and very little vegetables). The diabetes epidemic is living proof it’s working. Plus there are not enough jobs to feed ourselves. That way we Indians will be too weak to protest reservation living conditions. That way we’ll stay depressed or immobile. That way we’ll self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. That way many of our men will be imprisoned. That way we won’t be in the way when the government and industry wants to take more resources like copper, coal, uranium and shale gas.  Reservations were purposefully isolated so American (and Canadian) governments could totally control what we received - especially food, blankets, housing, medical care, etc.

Governments still keep Indians poor. The occupiers claimed they wanted Indians to be farmers, settle in one place, but not exactly on “farm-able land.” Think of the Badlands, a dry arid remote place, not exactly farmland.

Most of us Lost Birds who were adopted out didn’t have food insecurity or starvation growing up. It was not something we had to worry about.  SplitFeathers/Adoptees need to realize the WAR is still being waged on Indians in many subtle ways.  And if we use our minds in a good way, and come together, maybe WE can tackle food insecurity on reservations that still exists!

Maybe just maybe being adopted out was destined to give us the mind and ideas and courage necessary to feed our tribal families who have been occupied and starved into submission.

Also published on LAST REAL INDIANS: http://lastrealindians.com/starved-into-submission-food-insecurity-occupied-tribes-by-trace-a-demeyer/