The 2025 government shutdown is now officially the longest in U.S. history, having reached 36 days on Wednesday, Nov. 5 — and there is no clear end in sight, as disagreements over allocations of government funding remain firmly gridlocked. The shutdown has innumerable consequences, not only to the daily functioning of the government but also to the wellbeing of U.S. residents. One such consequence is the potential budget cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps to provide food for low-income families and individuals. With nearly 41 million people in the United States dependent on SNAP for sufficient access to food, it is a major concern that this program may be impacted by the shutdown. 

While it is necessary to pay attention to how these issues manifest at a national scale, it is even more critical to see how those in our communities are being directly impacted and how we can make a difference. In light of this uncertain time, this board is taking this opportunity to share accessible resources designed to aid community members who are facing food insecurity.

The Brandeis Pantry, located on the third floor of the Shapiro Campus Center, allows students in need to sign up to receive prepackaged bags of nonperishable food items and other necessities like hygiene products. The Pantry is partnered with Healthy Waltham Food Distribution, another valuable local resource dedicated to relieving hunger. Healthy Waltham’s food pantry offers shelf-stable and fresh food, and registrations can be made through Your Market online. 

“Too Good to Go” is an app that aims to minimize food waste on campus and sustainably increase access to food. Through the app, you can buy bags of surplus food at a discounted rate. This food is fresh and perfectly safe to eat, but would normally be thrown away after the locations close for the day. The Brandeis website claims that this program is active at multiple locations on campus, including Einstein Bros. Bagels and The Hoot Market, but unfortunately the program does not appear to be available at Einstein Bros. Bagels when actually trying to access it on the app. It may be open for future use as a Brandeis Hospitality display near Sherman Dining Hall states it will launch this summer.

Swipe Out Hunger is an organization partnered with over 900 campuses in the United States, including Brandeis. Students can confidentially apply for free meal swipes in blocks of five to 10 to use at any on-campus dining location that accepts meal swipes. Unfortunately, due to high demand, the request form currently states that there are no Swipe Out Hunger meals available. Students are able to donate their extra guest swipes to Swipe Out Hunger, but it is disappointing that student donations seem to be the primary solution rather than a commitment from the University to keep this resource funded and usable. Between the unclear status of Too Good to Go and the lack of available Swipe Out Hunger meals, we call on the University to be more transparent about these campus resources and to prioritize their maintenance. 

If you or someone you know on campus is facing food insecurity, the members of this editorial board urge you to take advantage of these resources — we as a community are here to support you. You can learn more about available campus resources by visiting the Brandeis website or by contacting the Office of Student Financial Services. 

Even if you are not in need of these resources, we still encourage you to take the time to familiarize yourself with resources available on campus, spread the word to your fellow students and contribute in any capacity you can. Volunteer with Healthy Waltham or consider joining a student organization dedicated to fighting food insecurity such as Challah for Hunger, the Food Recovery Network or Waltham Group’s Hunger and Homelessness. If you don’t have time to volunteer, you can still help support the Brandeis Pantry by participating in the library’s “Food for Fines” program, which allows students to pay off their overdue fees by donating non-perishable food or hygiene products that go directly to the Pantry to benefit your fellow students. National change starts locally, and in times of political disruption and dissent it is more important than ever to look out for each other.

— Editor’s Note: Senior Editors Eliza Bier ’26 and Anna Martin ’26 are Program Coordinators  for Hunger and Homelessness.