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By Brian Hews
Publisher | Follow X
November 4, 2025
November 4, 2025
LCCN Staff Report
As the federal government shutdown drags into its second month, millions of Americans are confronting an escalating food crisis after the Trump Administration announced it will cover only 50% of November’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments. The cuts leave 42 million people—including many working families—at risk of hunger, even after two federal courts ordered the administration to restore funding.
In response, One Fair Wage, a national advocacy group representing nearly 300,000 service workers and over 1,000 restaurant employers, has launched the Service Workers SNAP Emergency Fund. The initiative aims to provide immediate relief to those hit hardest by the reductions: restaurant and service employees who rely on SNAP at twice the rate of other workers.
“The people who feed us can’t afford to feed themselves,” said Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage. “This isn’t just about food assistance—it’s about poverty wages. Millions of Americans are working full time and still going hungry because wages are too low to live on.”
According to federal data, nearly half of SNAP recipients are employed, and 60% of households with children include at least one working adult. One Fair Wage research shows that service workers, including restaurant staff, bartenders, and delivery drivers, are among the most food insecure due to subminimum wages and inconsistent tips.
The new emergency fund offers direct cash assistance for groceries and basic needs, connections to food resources, and information for workers to advocate for higher wages. Restaurant and service employees affected by the SNAP reductions can apply online at www.ofwemergencyfund.org, where eligibility will be verified by One Fair Wage organizers before funds are distributed.
The organization is also calling on the public to help by donating, volunteering, or spreading awareness. Contributions are tax-deductible and go directly to workers in need.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, One Fair Wage distributed $25 million in emergency aid to out-of-work service employees. The group says this latest effort is both a stopgap and a wake-up call for lawmakers.
“This shutdown has exposed what’s been true all along,” Jayaraman said. “Food insecurity isn’t caused by a lack of work—it’s caused by a lack of living wages. Until we raise the wage floor in this country, millions of working people will remain one political fight away from hunger.”
For more information or to apply for relief, visit www.ofwemergencyfund.org.
