With SNAP aid in limbo, groups urge handing out food alongside Halloween candy

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FILE - Halloween candy. (Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA - With the federal government shutdown threatening November SNAP payments, some community groups are encouraging families to include shelf-stable kid foods alongside Halloween candy this year. The idea, shared online, aims to help children in households struggling with temporary food insecurity caused by the funding lapse.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned that roughly 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may not receive their benefits beginning Nov. 1 if the federal government shutdown continues.

What we know:

A Facebook post from the United Way — captioned "Be the Village" — suggests adding kid-friendly, nonperishable foods such as ramen cups, protein bars, pudding packs, or microwave mac and cheese to Halloween candy buckets.

RELATED: November SNAP benefits not coming in PA – Where to get help

The suggestion has resonated amid reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it may not be able to distribute November SNAP benefits if the shutdown continues. The USDA said it lacks the contingency funding to cover the program without congressional action.

What they're saying:

Caroline Weeks, a physician assistant and registered dietitian nutritionist, told ABC News that offering non-perishables with candy can help reduce stigma for kids seeking food. 

"The dietitian also noted the importance of offering nonperishable goods alongside regular Halloween candy to ‘level the playing field’ for kids looking for food," Weeks told ABC News. "I think the minds of children — when they see their colleagues, their classmates, you know, knowing that ... there’s this, perhaps, element of potential feelings of inadequacy or, heaven forbid, embarrassment — offering the nonperishable foods alongside the candy and making it kind of a sense of novelty and fun will sort of desensitize that and take away that potential sense of embarrassment."

The backstory:

SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, supports more than 40 million people nationwide. Normally funded through annual congressional appropriations, the program depends on federal spending bills that have been halted by the ongoing shutdown.

Without new appropriations, USDA officials say their ability to fund SNAP beyond October has "run dry." Advocacy groups warn that even a temporary disruption could strain food banks and low-income families already facing high grocery prices.

Why you should care:

The viral campaign linking Halloween giving to SNAP delays highlights how community members are stepping up in small ways as Washington gridlock continues. For many families, a gap in SNAP assistance would mean turning to local charities or food drives to meet basic needs.