Hunger Is Nonpartisan: Our Neighbors Need Us Now

A child's empty stomach doesn't care about politics. It doesn't ask whether their parents voted red or blue. It just aches.

Right now, families across our community, your neighbors, the folks who sit next to you at church, the parents you see at the grocery store, are about to lose access to SNAP benefits that put food on their tables. With the government shutdown continuing and Louisiana confirming no SNAP benefits will be distributed in November, we're facing an immediate crisis that will hit our most vulnerable residents the hardest.

This isn't about Washington. This isn't about partisanship. This is about whether children in our community will eat this month.

The Data Tells a Sobering Story About Our State

Let's be honest about where Louisiana stands. According to WalletHub's 2025 analysis, Louisiana ranks #1 in the nation for at-risk youth, dead last out of all 50 states. Nearly one in six of our young adults (16.6%) are completely disconnected from work and school without even a high school diploma.

The numbers for our children are even more heartbreaking. A recent Annie E. Casey Foundation study found that Louisiana has the second-highest child poverty rate in America at 24.8%, roughly one in four children. That's about 200,000 Louisiana kids living in poverty. Only Mississippi ranks worse.

Even more troubling: Louisiana experienced the steepest increase in child poverty in the entire nation, jumping from 11% (2019-2021) to 19% (2022-2024). While politicians in Washington argue, our children are getting hungrier.

These aren't statistics from some faraway place. This is happening right here, right now, in our community.

Why This Matters to All of Us—Even If You Don't Receive Benefits

Some folks might think SNAP benefits are someone else's problem. But the economic research tells a different story about who benefits when families can feed their children.

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, every $1 billion in SNAP benefits generates $1.54 billion in economic activity and supports over 13,000 jobs, including jobs in farming, grocery stores, food processing, and transportation. When families can't afford groceries, our local stores suffer. Our farmers lose customers. Our entire economy weakens.

More importantly, rigorous research published in the Review of Economic Studies tracking over 17 million Americans found that every dollar spent on childhood nutrition assistance returns $62 in lifetime value through better health, improved education, higher earnings, and reduced crime. Children who receive adequate nutrition do better in school, stay healthier, and grow up to be more productive members of our community and workforce.

When we let children go hungry, we all pay the price, through higher healthcare costs, lower educational achievement, and lost economic potential. The CDC estimates that food insecurity costs our healthcare system $53 billion annually in preventable medical expenses.

The Urgent Reality: What Happens Next Month

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the families who receive these benefits aren't gaming the system: 74% of adult recipients work within a year, and the median time on assistance is just eight months. These are working families, elderly neighbors on fixed incomes, and disabled community members who need temporary help to get through tough times.

What people spend SNAP benefits on might surprise you. USDA research shows SNAP and non-SNAP households have remarkably similar spending patterns: approximately 40% goes to basics like meat, fruits, vegetables, eggs, bread, and milk. Program fraud is extremely low: the official trafficking rate is just 1.5-2%, with 95-99% of that occurring at dishonest retailers, not recipients.

These are our neighbors trying to feed their families with dignity.

What We Can Do Right Now

We can't control what happens in Washington, but we can control how we respond as a community. While we pray and work for a resolution to the shutdown, we're launching an emergency gift card drive to help families bridge this gap.

Starting today, we're collecting Walmart gift cards of any amount that we will distribute directly to at-risk students and families in need. Every single card - whether $25, $50, or $100 - will help put food on someone's table this month.

Here's how you can help:

Drop Off Gift Cards:

• East St. Tammany

  • Attractions Salon 767 Robert Blvd, Slidell, LA 70458 Wednesday-Saturday, Hours Vary Call 985-649-3727 for availability

• West St. Tammany

  • Affordable Smiles of Mandeville 1002 LA-59, Mandeville, LA 70448 Monday-Thursday, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM Friday, 8:30 AM–2 PM

Donate Online:

Use the donation form below, or click here, to donate to the Emergency Food Assistance fund. We'll purchase gift cards in bulk and distribute them on your behalf, ensuring every dollar goes directly to helping families.

Spread the Word:

Share this post with your church, your workplace, your family, and your friends. The more people who know, the more families we can help.

This Is Who We Are

Louisiana communities have always taken care of their own. When hurricanes hit, we don't ask about politics before filling sandbags. When neighbors are hurting, we don't check voter registration before lending a hand. We show up. We help. We do what's right.

Right now, with one in four of our children living in poverty and families about to lose access to food assistance, this is our moment to show up.

Whether you receive benefits yourself, whether you know someone who does, or whether you've never worried about where your next meal is coming from, hunger is everyone's concern. A hungry child in our community affects all of us. Their struggle becomes our responsibility.

The facts are clear: Louisiana's children are among the most vulnerable in America. The need is urgent. The solution is in our hands.

Let's feed our neighbors. Let's protect our children. Let's show that when crisis comes, our community responds with compassion, not division.

Every gift card donated will be tracked and distributed to verified families in need through our organization's established assistance programs. For questions or to coordinate larger donations, please contact us at connect@onewaylove.org

Together, we can make sure no child in our community goes to bed hungry this month.