Save the Children Deeply Concerned Millions of Kids Could Lose Access to Food Supports Starting Nov. 1, Mobilizing Crisis Response

Global Humanitarian Organization Preparing to Provide Cash Assistance, Food and Child-Focused Supplies to Children and Families Amid Government Shutdown 

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Oct. 30, 2025) — With millions of children nationwide at risk of losing access to vital food supports Nov. 1 amid the government shutdown, Save the Children is mobilizing to meet the most urgent needs of affected families with cash assistance, nutritious food and essential supplies.

More than 42 million Americans, including nearly 14 million children, rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to put food on the table, but this support is expected to lapse unless political leaders find a way to keep funds flowing by Nov. 1. In addition, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) — which supports 7 million mothers, babies, and pregnant women with formula, healthy food, and breastfeeding assistance — could quickly run out, leaving families without access to that nutrition support.

Together with partners, Save the Children is preparing to deliver emergency cash assistance to thousands of children and their families in some of the nation’s most vulnerable rural communities across 15 states, as well as distribute food and child-focused supplies, including diapers and wipes.

“For families living paycheck to paycheck, even a short disruption in help getting nutritious food on the table is a crisis,” said Christy Gleason, Save the Children’s Chief Policy Officer. “Save the Children is deeply concerned that millions of children could lose access to healthy food at the start of the month. Without that support, parents will be forced to make impossible choices—like skipping their own meals so their kids can eat. No parent should ever have to face that, and no child should ever go hungry in this country.”

“When kids go hungry, their health, learning, and sense of security all suffer, and we can’t let that happen,” said James Orlando, Save the Children’s Managing Director of Humanitarian Response in the U.S. “Save the Children is working with partners to ensure children have access to nutritious food and basic necessities – because hunger can’t wait.”

Save the Children has been supporting kids across the United States since 1932, and today it partners with over 250 rural communities to close the early education gap for kids living in poverty. The global humanitarian organization has also been helping U.S. kids recover from major disasters since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, including this year’s catastrophic wildfires in California and destructive tornadoes in Kentucky.