INDIANAPOLIS — On Day 21 of the government shutdown , Gleaners Food Bank is sounding the alarm about what a continued shutdown could mean for Hoosiers amid already rising food insecurity.

13News obtained a letter sent by the Food and Nutrition Service, part of the USDA, that says, in part, "if the current lapse in appropriations continues, there will be insufficient funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals across the Nation."

Around 600,000 Hoosiers receive SNAP benefits. According to FSSA , about 15% of households in Marion County received SNAP benefits in March 2025 — about 130,806 people. The average person receiving benefits received $206.32 in benefits that month.

“We’re in an environment where need is going up,” said Gleaners President and

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