Well, it happened: SNAP benefits ended Nov. 1 for 42 million Americans for the very first time in history. That includes 267,000 Iowans, 40% of whom are children, going without their grocery money this week.
It’s because of the ongoing federal government shutdown, now the longest in history. Democrats won’t vote to end the shutdown without extending healthcare subsidies that keep ACA payments low, but Republicans so far say they won’t do that, so there’s no end in sight.
The sorta good news: A court said President Donald Trump couldn’t just not pay SNAP. So he promised a federal court that the USDA will pay what’s left in a contingency fund, or just over half the November benefits. (Trump later posted on social media that he would not do even that, but his spokesperson later said they would comply with the court order.)
And, just today, the judge told him he has to find ALL of the November money.
No matter how it eventually shakes out, payments won’t arrive immediately. States like Iowa will have to calculate how much of the benefits to send out before they can be loaded onto EBT cards.
Waiting weeks—or even months—for those benefits could mean real harm to everyone from pregnant women to Indigenous communities.
So what’s being done to help Iowans from starving?
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Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has supported cuts to SNAP, announced this week the state would donate “up to $1 million” to six Iowa food banks from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
The catch? It’s a donation match, meaning food banks have to raise extra money to qualify. And it’s limited to the number of SNAP recipients each food bank serves.
As Ed Tibbetts pointed out, even if the entire $1 million was given, it amounts to less than one day of SNAP funding needed in Iowa. And state Democrats say there’s way more that could be done.
“The state has $107 million in earned interest from the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund that the governor can use right now to cover the SNAP shortfall caused by the federal shutdown,” said House Democratic Leader Rep. Brian Meyer of Des Moines. “Families are already struggling to make ends meet, and this is a simple, realistic way to keep Iowans fed during this crisis.”
“In addition, we urge the attorney general to immediately join 25 other states in a federal lawsuit compelling the USDA to fulfill its obligations to use emergency contingency funds to provide federal SNAP coverage during the shutdown,” added Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner of Iowa City.
It’s a tall order for states, even with help from companies and nonprofits, to backfill the $8 billion per month needed for SNAP. Desperate Iowans are turning out in record amounts to food banks.
But even though we cannot do everything, we can do something. And Iowans are stepping up.
Donate: Iowa City Catholic Worker is raising emergency food assistance funds. A Gofundme was set up for an Emergency Double Up Food Bucks fund for fresh fruits and vegetables for Iowans. There’s also a fund for restaurant and service workers, who are overwhelmingly represented in SNAP recipients.
Share news about those donating for your neighbors in need:
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Hy-Vee stores are offering free meals to children 12 and under this week.
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Meals from the Heartland announced they will donate an additional 1 million meals to Iowa food banks.
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Big Grove Brewery is donating $12,000 to three Iowa food banks.
The Iowa Pork Producers and Fareway Stores are jointly donating 9,500 pounds of ground pork to Iowa and Nebraska food banks.
- A reader sent me the above photo from Great Harvest Bread Company, a bakery in Cedar Rapids, offering free loaves of bread.
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Yonderbound, a Des Moines small business that makes THC and CBD powder, said it is donating 100% of its proceeds this week to the Food Bank of Iowa. “We’re a new company, and it’s just the two of us—so we know our efforts won’t fix systemic issues or refill every empty pantry,” the husband-and-wife team wrote to Iowa Starting Line. “But food insecurity is not something we can shrug off.”
Pressure your elected officials: Linn County supervisors voted to donate $80,000 to help their food bank’s matching fund. You can also email your congresspeople and tell them to stop stalling and reopen the government.
Have you seen other examples of generosity in your community? Email me.
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Amie Rivers
Newsletter Editor, Iowa Starting Line
Member, COURIER United (WGA East)
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China agrees to buy soybeans, ending monthslong standoff: The world’s largest buyer of soybeans refused to buy anything from the US for months because of Trump’s punitive tariffs. Last week, after Trump lowered his tariff to 10%, China agreed to buy 12 million tons this year, less than half of what it usually purchases. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig called it “great news” and Iowa Farm Bureau president Brent Johnson said it was “welcomed news and should provide some price support to struggling U.S. soybean markets.” But farmers will likely still need help from the government for a while.
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Case New Holland will close its Burlington plant by 2026, the company announced this week, with 200 workers laid off by the middle of next year. The company blames it on the ag downturn broadly affecting sales (even Sen. Chuck Grassley said recently ag monopolies are a big reason for that), but United Auto Workers had been in the middle of bargaining. Workers will hold a rally protesting the decision to close Friday at 3:30 p.m. at 400 North Front St., Burlington, that will feature national UAW President Shawn Fain, Burlington’s mayor, and more. “CNH has made $6.6 billion in profits in the last three years alone and has spent over $3.1 billion of that on shareholder distributions and CEO pay,” the union said in a statement.
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Union endorsements: The Iowa Federation of Labor announced this week its endorsements of Rob Sand for governor, Nate Willems for Iowa attorney general, and Renee Hardman for Iowa Senate District 16’s special election on Dec. 30. “Rob’s campaign is about working together,” president Charlie Wishman said at a rally announcing the endorsements. “It’s about getting past all of the partisanship.” Communication Workers for America Local 7102 also announced their endorsement of Jennifer Konfrst for Iowa’s Third Congressional district. Konfrst has also been endorsed by Teamsters Local 90 and Plumbers and Steamfitters 33. “She’s been a strong voice for unions and working people, and she’s ready to fight for us in Congress,” CWA legislative chair Mark Rocha said.
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Journalism job listing: Want to buy two papers in Southwest Iowa? Or maybe just do some reporting? The Avoca Journal Herald is looking for a hard news reporter with “experience in covering all news angles including some sports,” and photography skills are “mandatory.” The salary is $50,000, but if you want to take ownership of the two weekly papers, you’ll get an extra $10,000 per year. Send resumes to Avoca Journal-Herald, Box 308 Avoca, Iowa 51521, or email to avocajh2@gmail.com.
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Starbucks workers practice going on strike: Des Moines Starbucks workers, who just recently unionized, held a practice strike last month in anticipation of a national strike. Starbucks Workers United, which has thousands of members across the country, voted to authorize a strike Nov. 13—the company’s “Red Cup Day”—if the company continues to refuse to bargain. Learn more about workers’ demands and sign a pledge to boycott if they strike here.
- AI is definitely taking jobs now, starting with Amazon.
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Shutdown = no union news: The National Labor Relations Board website database has been offline since the shutdown began Oct. 1, so workers cannot file a petition for a union or vote on one.
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- Wells Fargo in West Des Moines is laying off 12 workers by Nov. 14, 23 workers by Nov. 28, one worker by Dec. 12, and 63 workers by Dec. 26.
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BHFO in Cedar Rapids is closing and laying off 46 workers by Nov. 26. Read more here.
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Winnebago Industries is closing and continuing to lay off, including 26 workers in Charles City by Dec. 12. Read more here.
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Mason City Clinic in Mason City is laying off 147 workers by Dec. 31. Read more about a potential WARN Act violation here.
- RTX in Cedar Rapids is laying off three workers by Dec. 31.
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Toyota Financial Services in Cedar Rapids is closing and laying off 54 workers by Dec. 31. Read more here.
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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Amie Rivers. It was edited by Brook Bolen.
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