What You Need to Know: SNAP Benefits, Food Security, and Youth Mental Health

Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, millions of Americans are not receiving their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This impacts many young people, college students, and families who depend on SNAP to meet basic food needs.

Food insecurity is more than an economic issue: It’s a mental health issue that can affect how someone feels, thinks, and shows up in daily life.

How Food Insecurity Affects Mental Health

When you’re not sure where your next meal is coming from, everything else gets harder. Research shows that food insecurity is directly linked to increased anxiety, stress, and depression among young people. It’s not just about feeling hungry — it’s about the constant worry, the mental energy spent calculating what you can afford, and the emotional weight of a basic need going unmet.

Youth and young adults experiencing food insecurity often struggle with difficulty concentrating in school or work. Persistent worry about where the next meal will come from is associated with stress and anxiety that can affect every aspect of daily life. This stress can manifest physically through headaches, trouble sleeping, and other mental health issues. Financial pressure around food can also strain family relationships, creating tension at home precisely when young people need support the most. And over time, a lack of basic needs like food can contribute to despair, which is linked to an increase in suicidality. 

If you experience any of these feelings, you’re not alone. But help and hope are available.

If You Or Your Family Are Impacted

When basic needs feel uncertain, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed. If you are a young person experiencing the emotional impact of the SNAP disruption, there are steps you can take to find support and protect your well-being:

• Visit FoodFinder.us to locate food pantries, community meal programs, and other resources near you. You can also dial 211 to connect with local services and support.
• Check with your school or campus: Many have food pantries, emergency meal programs, or emergency funds specifically for students.
• Check your EBT card or your state’s SNAP website for updates, but limit how often you check the news if it’s increasing your anxiety.
  

• If you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or hopeless, talk to someone you trust, like a friend, family member, or mental health professional. You can always text or call 988 for free, confidential help 24/7.

Remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

What Policymakers and Advocates Can Do

Access to food is access to stability, dignity, and emotional well-being. These aren’t separate policy domains — they’re deeply interconnected elements of what young people need to thrive. We at The Jed Foundation (JED) are grateful for efforts underway at the federal and state levels to protect families’ physical and mental health by ensuring the continuation of food subsidies. 

On the federal level, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is sponsoring a bill, S. 3024, Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025, to ensure SNAP continues to be funded during a government shutdown for FY 2026; it currently has 11 cosponsors.

Among states, as just one example, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has announced emergency state funding. This includes $30 million fast-tracked to provide about 16 million meals, and an additional $11 million to support food banks. She is also exploring creative “take-home” meal options for students via the state’s school meal program, ensuring children whose families rely on SNAP have access to extra food during a disruption in federal benefits. 

We call on all policymakers and advocates to use all levers available to advocate for continued SNAP benefits, including support for the Keep SNAP Funded Act, and to find ways at the state and local levels to ensure no one goes hungry because of this disruption.  

This should include:

• Supporting young people experiencing food insecurity through school meal programs, counseling, and resource sharing. This could include maximizing participation in free and reduced-price meal programs, creating grab-and-go options at school or in local community centers, establishing or stocking school or community food pantries, and exploring weekend take-home meals.
• Amplifying accurate information: Avoid panic while ensuring youth and families know where to find help. Share information about school- or community-based food resources, local food pantries, and SNAP updates.
• Recognizing food security as a protective factor in youth mental-health policy and prioritizing continuity of benefits during federal funding lapses.
• Ensuring mental health support is available and accessible. This may include training school staff and staff at afterschool and community programs to identify signs of food insecurity-related stress such as changes in behavior, concentration difficulties, or changes in mood and energy levels. It should also include creating safe spaces for students to talk about stress, and connecting families with mental health resources such as the 988 Lifeline. 

Access to food is access to stability, dignity, and emotional well-being. JED calls on leaders across government, education, and community systems to protect youth and families from the mental health toll of food insecurity

For those young people impacted by the SNAP disruption, we hope you will stay informed, connected, and kind to yourselves and one another. Remember: You matter. Your well-being matters. And help is available.

Related Resources

• FoodFinder.us – Find food pantries and meal programs near you.
• 211 – Dial 211 for local food assistance and social services.
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – Free, confidential support 24/7 (call or text 988)
• USDA SNAP State Directory – State-specific SNAP updates
• JED Mental Health Resource Center – Mental health resources and support