THE DISH WINTER 2026
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WORSENS FOOD INSECURITY ACROSS THE HEARTLAND At the time this article was written, our country had just emerged from a 44-day government shutdown—the longest in our history. Thousands of Nebraskans and western Iowans suddenly found their access to food disrupted, and although the government has reopened, the damage is clear. Between October 1 and November 1, some partners experienced a staggering spike in need, with households served rising anywhere from 68% to 200%—at a time when our charitable food network was already stretched to historic limits.
Families experience overwhelming stress, and many face a risk of malnutrition when resources suddenly disappear. This is why your compassion is desperately needed. Although the shutdown ended, we will continue to see impacts on families who were already facing impossible choices. Together, we can help our communities begin to heal from a crisis, the impact of which will be felt long after the headlines fade.
To understand what our neighbors were facing, a group of Food Bank staff, including our CEO, visited three communities in western Iowa. At every stop, we heard the same message: families we serve need more access to protein, such as chicken, beef, and pork. Proteinrich items are often the first items cut from a family’s budget, due to high cost. We saw this need reflected in the stories from our neighbors. Julie, a mother of two boys, lost her SNAP benefits in November and turned to her local pantry for help.
“We eat a lot of meat, and there’s only so much the pantry can provide,” Julie told us. “I usually use my SNAP benefits for meat to help us make full meals. We’re going throug h our freezer and getting down to nothing. It’s getting toug h.” Stories like Julie’s demonstrate the importance of SNAP. When federal programs are disrupted—even briefly— the ripple effects are immediate and profound.
Pictured on the left — Julie, Pantry Recipient, Griswold Food Pantry Top right — Woodbine Community Food Pantry Bottom Right — Pantry Recipient, Mills County Storehouse
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The Food Bank has a new address as of February 2, 2026! 4645 S. 84th Street, Omaha, NE 68127 — same mission, new location to better serve our community.