Before the recent US government shutdown, 1 in 4 junior enlisted families, those in the lowest pay grades, suffered from food insecurity in Massachusetts. That’s according to data provided by Jeffrey Chin, executive director of the Blue Star Families New England chapter.
During the shutdown, not only did that hunger increase due to the pause of SNAP benefits, but an additional 21,000 veterans lost their benefits. The shutdown lasted from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12, during which some federal benefits were temporarily disrupted.
In Massachusetts, most military community members did not have the means to support themselves when SNAP benefits disappeared. Chin said many lost medical services due to government funding cuts, and numerous active duty members underwent a permanent change of station. All of these developments required out-of-pocket payments, including but not limited to: food, relocation, and non-government-funded medical specialists for children and dependents.
To temporarily cover expenses, some families took out low-interest or waived-interest loans, while others were forced into high-interest loans.
Chin said a big proportion of Blue Star Families’ junior-enlisted families “have less than $5,000 in their savings.” During the shutdown, he added, “pay errors were pronounced,” and “missing one paycheck could be quite devastating.”
“Military families,” the data shows, “were really challenged by food insecurity during the shutdown … People’s freezers were empty.”
Thin line between service and survival
During previous shutdowns, the Pay Our Troops Act ensured active-duty members got paid. This time it was not passed, creating great uncertainty.
In Mass, multiple organizations that work to support the military community stepped in to help fill those gaps. The New England chapter of Blue Star Families and Project New Hope are a part of that collaboration.
Blue Star Families acted as a conduit for community members during the shutdown, doing outreach to point people toward the appropriate resources, utilizing surveys including their annual Military Family Lifestyle Survey, done in conjunction with Syracuse University. Resources included food distribution events, affordable healthcare organizations, and programs for financial wellness and literacy.
Blue Star’s food distribution events served thousands in need during the shutdown, supplying families with essentials and grocery store gift cards. They utilized existing relationships with military bases like Hanscom Air Force Base and local food pantries to provide for community members.
Chin said “I think there’s a misconception around the fact that service members are always taken care of by the government … many people don’t realize that oftentimes their service members and their families don’t have access to base housing.”
Boots on the ground
Project New Hope’s focus includes food insecurity, childcare, and mental wellbeing. The organization runs two outposts in Massachusetts—one in Westfield, and one in Worcester. Both offer food and childcare supplies, benefits, navigation services, military retreats, and coffee socials to promote mental wellbeing.
Prior to the shutdown, Bill Moore, president and founder of Project New Hope, said their Westfield location served roughly 500 veterans per month, while the Worcester location served just over 400 per month.
Moore is based at the Worcester office. He said that their food pantry was serving 140 clients every other week leading up to the shutdown. During that time, an additional 20 to 30 community members reached out for support.
“I wasn’t aware that so many veterans were receiving SNAP benefits, and so that really hurt when they shut that off here,” Moore said. “We got a real influx and it really strained us … we have to purchase all our food down here, so if we don’t get donations, we can’t supply our shelves and stuff.”
He added, “It was a rough month and a half here where people didn’t really know what was going on, when the government was going to open back up here. … They put a lot more anxiety already on their plate with, you know, attrition. They have spouses deployed right now.”
The call for assistance was heard. The United Way of Central Massachusetts donated $15,000, which went towards the Worcester outpost’s food and baby pantries, keeping them open during the shutdown. Partners of the organization, including Lilac Hedge Farm and Coopers Hilltop Farm, gave their support too. Lilac Hedge Farm supplied eggs and Coopers supplied milk, with Project New Hope purchasing the balance.
“We’ve been pretty blessed getting some funding here to keep our food and baby pantry open,” Moore said.
At their other branch, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts helped make the client rush sustainable in Westfield, the connection ensuring that their families were provided with fresh vegetables and healthy fruits.
Beyond the reopening
Since the shutdown, SNAP benefits and healthcare have resumed, and reimbursements have been sent out to the military community in Massachusetts. Despite those returns, many still face anxiety as they try to make up for the financial deficits that the shutdown caused.
Both Project New Hope and Blue Star Families continue to assist the military community in Massachusetts. Most of their new members have remained for additional support.
Project New Hope worked to ensure that its community was taken care of through the holidays. During Thanksgiving, each veteran that visited their food pantries was given a $20 supermarket giftcard to purchase the meat of their choice. They also deployed “Operation Jeepers Christmas,” providing gifts for children of military and veteran families in Massa facing financial hardship.
Moreover, Project New Hope offers SNAP enrollment and benefits navigation as a support service for veterans. The organization’s case manager service called “Connect the Dots” helps bring veterans to resources they wouldn’t otherwise be privy to. Moore said, “If they can save a few dollars, a little bit more to spend somewhere else, I mean, that’s what it’s all about.”
Blue Star Families has also remained vigilant, continuing to supply community members with food and critical information pertaining to financial management, family nourishment, and government policy through their Nourish the Service program and White Oak Collaborative—all in addition to webinars and workshops held throughout the year.
The collaborative is a large coalition of military service organizations, dedicated to helping the military community with understanding and advocating for policies that will directly affect them. Chin explained, “While the paychecks and services have been returned to the government, you still have that deficit to try and make up for … and they’re just trying to dig themselves back up.”
There is no official word pointing to the absolute prevention of future financial harm should the government shutdown again. While the Pay Our Troops Act of 2026 has been proposed, it remains a part of ongoing legislative debate regarding financial security for the military community. In the meantime, groups like Project New Hope and Blue Star Families are pushing for policies that reflect the value of the community’s sacrifice.
