Earlier this week, the ongoing government shutdown obtained a dubious honor — at 39 days and counting, it has become the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history.

The shutdown began Oct. 1 as Congress failed to pass a budget for fiscal year 2026 by the time the 2025 budget lapsed at the end of September. Usually, government shutdowns range from a couple of days to three weeks. However, this shutdown’s length has been pronounced due to Democrats wanting to extend healthcare insurance subsidies from the American Rescue Plan Act and inabilities in the Senate to muster up 60 votes to overcome the filibuster rule in the upper house.

As the shutdown lingers into its second month, the effects of the shuttered government can be felt in Hancock County. With each passing day, some facet of government assistance has to start stretching the money on hand, as none is coming from Washington.

The most high-profile of these funding lapses is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a food purchasing assistance program helping low- and no-income individuals and families maintain their nutrition and health since 1939.

Recent data from the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration show that there are 3,325 total recipients of SNAP benefits in Hancock County, totaling an issuance of $650,816.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent a letter out to SNAP directors warning them that funding would run out at the end of the month and directing them to hold benefits payments.

Vernon Township Trustee Flory May said, based on legal guidance given to townships by the Indiana Township Association, Indiana Code allows township trustees to provide emergency food assistance, such as allowing trustees to directly purchase and distribute food in emergency or special situations.

She added the biggest factor to the shutdown is not knowing how long it will take to resolve.

“The unknown makes this tricky. Is this going to go 60 days? Is this going to go into next year? We have to look at this as if it were going to be into the first quarter,” May said.

As the shutdown progresses, May is looking to add an addendum to the township’s contract with Fortville Area Resource Mission to allow the township to provide additional funding to the food pantry if the shutdown continues into the holiday season. FARM is contracted to act as the township’s food pantry, and May said FARM is at its highest need since the pandemic.

She added that overall, across the township and the county, there has been a major push for donations at food pantries with the lapse in SNAP benefits. (Find a list of local pantries and blessing boxes here.)

“We’re seeing care boxes go up all over the place. We are seeing a big push for food at schools. I would put out a plea to the community, that if you are someone who has the means to make donations to the food pantries right now and are so inclined, it would be very welcome,” May said.

In Greenfield, Hancock County Food Pantry has seen a significant uptick in families requesting food. Board president Howard Green said that this week, there have been over 50 families that signed up to receive food for the first time, and that overall around 400 families had received food this week.

Because of the increase in need, the pantry has had to limit several items for families, such as limiting produce to a maximum of three items. He added that October was the busiest month in the history of the food pantry, with almost 1,600 families receiving food.

Green also said there has been an increase in people asking how they can help donate to the food pantry. He suggests that people donate money, adding that pantry leaders can spread it out more and it will allow the food pantry to purchase more food. With every $1 donated, the pantry can buy $7-$9 worth of food through Gleaners Food Bank.

“The Lord continues to provide, and we do the best we can with the food we get,” Green said. “It’s a worrisome situation, but we all will get by.”

However, it is more than SNAP that has seen problems with its funding. Another food assistance program, WIC — which provides supplemental federal assistance for low-income people, such as access to breastfeeding support, infant formula and nutrition education — has had struggles since the shutdown began. In Hancock County, WIC benefits are managed and delivered by Interlocal Community Action Program, which also operates in several other counties in eastern Indiana.

Shelbey Rea, WIC coordinator for the Hancock County ICAP office, said the WIC office serves about 1,100 people in Hancock County. ICAP is funded fully by grants, and since the shutdown began in October, Rea has had to stretch the money for the county WIC office.

“We are just being much more careful with our money and being more frugal,” she said.

Earlier this month, the National WIC Association received $450 million in contingency funds from the White House to fund WIC programs across the nation, but this only funds the national program for three weeks. Rea said the fact that WIC programs are running on residual to begin with is worrying.

Right now, Rea says, the Hancock County WIC program is still running and operating, but she has gotten questions from people who use the WIC program about whether they will still have their benefits.

“It’s more than just giving benefits. Sometimes they don’t even have insurance. Families may lose access to formula and other critical services if this continues for an extended period, which would lead to negative health outcomes for newborns and children,” she said. “The unknowns is the part that’s fearful to me.”

But it’s not just food programs that are seeing funds start to dry up. Across the country, Head Start and Low Income Home Energy Assistance programs, are experiencing delayed federal funding as well, which, while not affecting Hancock County now, could in the future.

Kathy Dice, energy assistance coordinator for the Hancock County ICAP office, said about 500 people in the county receive energy assistance through the program. Like Rea, Dice has begun to stretch the money she has, noting she has had trouble getting supplies for the office.

Dice said ICAP has enough funds to make it through the holiday season, but those in need have been concerned about their benefits lapsing due to the shutdown. She added it’s important to keep assistance programs for low-income people always funded.

“The biggest thing is to keep funding the programs for those that need the help,” Dice said. “They need the help with heating every winter.”
© 2025 Daily Reporter