When SNAP Stops: What Parents of Exceptional Learners Need to Know”

🎙️ Special Ed Rising: PURGE 47 Edition

Episode 149: “When SNAP Stops: What Parents of Exceptional Learners Need to Know”

Hello, I’m your host, Mark Ingrassia and This is Special Ed Rising,PURGE 47 Edition, the show that keeps a close watch on government actions impacting the disability community. If you’re here, you already know that when policies shift and rights are on the line, we can’t afford to look away.

,: 2025

This is not just a general food-security issue—it has real implications for children with special education needs: their health, their learning, and their entire routine. We’ll talk today about who will be impacted, how school meal programs fit in, and most importantly: what you can do right now to protect your family and stay prepared.

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Stay tuned, stay informed, and stay ready. Because this fight has just begun.

There’s a quiet cruelty happening in this country right now.

You don’t see it in big speeches or viral tweets—it’s hidden in the decisions Congress makes and the policies that hit families who are already struggling. I’m calling it The Purge in Slow Motion.

The kind where the safety nets that should catch people are slowly taken away, one political standoff at a time, until people just fall through and no one notices.

This week, the target is SNAP—the program that helps millions of families put food on the table, including families raising children with disabilities.

Why now? Because of the government shutdown. Federal agencies are closed, appropriations are stalled, and programs like SNAP face delays. If the shutdown continues, families might not get their SNAP benefits in November.

That’s money families rely on to buy groceries. If it doesn’t arrive, food—the most basic thing children need—suddenly becomes a luxury.

Think about that. A country that says it values life allows children to go hungry. A country that preaches morality uses faith like a weapon to justify taking care away from people in need.

The outrage I feel over the people who say they’re pro-life before birth—and then seem to forget about the child after they’re born—is unbelievable. We are watching leaders use God and country to control people, keeping families quiet and compliant, even when those families are struggling just to eat.

Kindness doesn’t win in that world. Compassion doesn’t matter when it’s all about power.

In my opinion, this isn’t just a funding issue. This is a strategy—a way to push back against anyone who speaks up, to weaken families, and to create desperation that can later be labeled as “trouble” or even “insurrection.” Because once people are labeled enemies, anything can happen to them.

That’s how democracy starts to slip away—not with a dramatic coup, but quietly, through decisions about money and resources.

Who will be most impacted:

Families with incomes near the poverty line and children with special needs.

Households relying on SNAP as a major portion of their grocery budget (e.g., two-thirds of food spending among the lowest-income households).

Single-parent households, caregivers with little access to alternative income, rural families (where food costs may be higher and options fewer).

Families with children requiring specialized diets, therapies, or whose condition limits the ability to generate extra income.

Schools and districts in low-income areas may indirectly feel strain if many children arrive under-fed, impacting class morale and teacher time.

So what does this mean for families like yours?

SNAP participation reduces food insecurity by about 30%. That means kids have enough to eat, are healthier, miss fewer school days, and can focus better in class. For children with disabilities, nutrition affects everything: focus, stamina, mood, and even how medications work.

When SNAP stops, it’s not just skipping meals—it’s losing stability. Missed breakfast can trigger a meltdown. Skipping a snack can ruin a therapy session. Even small disruptions in routine can create bigger setbacks for children who thrive on consistency.

Families already living on the edge feel this immediately: single parents, caregivers who can’t work full-time because of their child’s needs, families of kids with special diets—gluten-free, dairy-free, high-calorie—who already pay more for food. Rural families, where groceries are more expensive, will feel it too.

How SNAP disruptions impact school meals:

Loss of automatic eligibility: When a family loses SNAP benefits, their children may automatically lose eligibility for free school meals. Families may need to reapply, which can be confusing and burdensome.

Impact on school funding: Many schools participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). A drop in SNAP participation could cause schools to lose eligibility for CEP, leading to higher costs and potentially ending universal free meals.

Immediate vs. long-term effects: A shutdown can cause immediate meal disruptions if states can’t process benefits on time, forcing families to scramble. Long-term, changes to eligibility rules and state funding gaps could affect the school year.

School and state responses: Some states, like New York, have declared a food emergency and are exploring ways to support affected families.

What you can do:

Contact your local school district: Stay informed about any changes to meal programs.

Support community efforts: Donate or volunteer with local food pantries and organizations.

Advocate for policy changes: Press local leaders and state officials to address potential SNAP cuts.

Check your EBT balance: Plan leftover funds carefully.

Budget carefully: Prioritize essential food, delay non-essential items, plan for special diet needs.

Stay eligible: Keep up with recertification, report changes, complete forms.

Seek emergency food support: Connect with local food banks, community meal programs, and disability-service organizations.

Monitor updates: Follow state SNAP agency websites and alerts.

Coordinate school-meal programs: Know your school’s contingency plans.

Check for disability-specific resources: Apply for supplemental programs now.

If this shutdown continues, the fallout will be real:

Food insecurity spikes immediately.

Parents skip meals to feed their kids.

Stress rises.

Children’s health, learning, and therapy progress suffer.

Schools may face higher demand for meals and special-ed departments may see students arrive less ready to learn.

SNAP isn’t just a “welfare program.” It’s a stabilizer. For families raising children with special needs, it’s the difference between order and chaos. When leaders treat it like a political bargaining chip, they’re gambling with lives.

Call to Action & Wrap-Up:

Act now. Don’t assume November will be “just like any other month.”

Check balances, plan your grocery list, secure back-up resources. Keep your child’s nutrition, energy, and focus front and center—especially for children with learning or physical challenges. Talk to your school team. Spread the word. Advocate. SNAP helps children’s health, learning, and life outcomes. No parent of an exceptional learner should be left scrambling because of a funding gap.

Closing Argument:

The government shutdown and SNAP? They aren’t just lines on a page—they decide whether families have enough to eat. And here’s the frustrating part: Congress has the tools to act. The House of Representatives? Runs on simple majorities — 218 votes. Republicans hold that majority, which means they can rewrite the rules at any time. They could bypass the Rules Committee… remove the waiting period before a vote… roll all appropriations into one omnibus bill… even use a closed rule to force a straight up-or-down vote. Meanwhile, the President has options too. The USDA has access to a contingency reserve fund — a legally authorized emergency account — that can be used to continue SNAP payments when appropriated funds run out. Right now, that fund holds roughly $5 billion. That’s enough to partially fund the program for two weeks… maybe half a month. Not perfect, not forever, but enough to keep families fed while Congress finishes its work. Courts have ruled that USDA can and must use these contingency funds when Congress hasn’t acted. And yet, the administration says it can’t cover everything — citing legal limits. But they could release some of that money for partial or temporary payments. They just aren’t choosing to. So yes — tools exist. Authority exists. What’s missing is the will to act. This isn’t some abstract problem in Washington, and it’s not a delay that “doesn’t really matter.” It’s real. And it’s happening right now. Kids’ nutrition, family stability, and school progress — especially for those in special education — are on the line. That’s why I say this to every parent, caregiver, and advocate listening: Check your benefits. Get organized. Make your voices heard today. Call your representatives. Talk to your school. Reach out to community programs. Let them know: feeding kids isn’t political — it’s a basic human need. No parent should ever have to wonder if their child will eat tonight. Stay alert. Stay connected. And keep speaking up — because our kids deserve nothing less.

And one last thing; don’t forget the the obbba

SNAP (Food Assistance) Cuts

It proposes $285 billion in cuts to SNAP over ten years.

Expands work requirements for adults aged 18–64, including parents with children over six.

Many disabled people not labeled as “permanently disabled” would be required to work or lose benefits.

Caregivers could be forced to work or lose food assistance—even if they’ve left jobs to support family members.

SNAP recipients average just $6 per day—barely survival.