{"id":22128,"date":"2025-11-10T14:35:26","date_gmt":"2025-11-10T14:35:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/incredipros.com\/?p=22128"},"modified":"2025-11-10T14:35:30","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T14:35:30","slug":"this-single-mom-of-3-uses-snap-to-feed-her-family-now-shes-caught-in-a-political-tug-of-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/incredipros.com\/?p=22128","title":{"rendered":"This single mom of 3 uses SNAP to feed her family. Now, she\u2019s caught in a political tug-of-war"},"content":{"rendered":"
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SeBrina Bibb\u2019s husband died in 2020, thrusting her into the role of single mom to 3 young kids.<\/p>\n

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Money challenges quickly piled atop her grief. Income, child care and basic household labor all fell to her. At one point, Bibb and her children were homeless, sleeping on the couches of friends and family.<\/p>\n

Unable to afford daycare as a single parent to young children, Bibb couldn\u2019t work. Instead, she stayed home to care for her kids before they were old enough to go to school.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhen I lost him, not only did it affect my mental health, but it definitely affected me financially,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

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\"Bibb<\/figure>\n
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Today, Bibb is 30 years old and lives in Christiansburg, Va., with her daughters ages 4, 7 and 10. She receives $1,100 in monthly Social Security survivor benefits and uses the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to feed her family.<\/p>\n

After paying for groceries, rent, electricity, car insurance, her cellphone and basic necessities like shoes, shampoo and diapers, there\u2019s not much money left. She\u2019s lucky if she saves $20 to $40 per month.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Now that her youngest has started school, Bibb recently got a job as a substitute teacher. She\u2019s hopeful it will lead to career growth and steadier income. But in the meantime, her $120 weekly SNAP benefits \u2014 commonly known as food stamps \u2014 are a vital element of her budget.<\/p>\n

Bibb is one of millions of Americans who rely on food assistance that will be only partially funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in November, thanks to what is now the longest-ever government shutdown. As these benefits are administered locally, it\u2019s unclear when exactly those payments will come and how much each state will have to step up to help the Americans who rely on them.<\/p>\n

The latest decision follows a legal scuffle between the Trump administration and half the states. But the days of back-and-forth haven\u2019t led to greater food security for Americans in need \u2014\u00a0instead, they\u2019re left scrambling for answers.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for food aid in America?<\/h2>\n

Amid the ongoing, ever-changing updates from the federal government, some responsibility is essentially punted to local governments. In response, many states are using emergency funds to cover the remainder of residents\u2019 benefits or support food banks.<\/p>\n

When Bibb first heard the rumors that food aid would stop, it kept her up at night. \u201cI will not have money for groceries,\u201d she fretted. She\u2019s since learned the state of Virginia plans to make weekly payments to SNAP recipients for the same amount they normally receive.<\/p>\n

Bibb says her panic has subsided since learning how the state will help. Still, her family\u2019s health relies partly on the ability of politicians to reopen the government. \u201cNobody wants to be in this position where we have to rely on the government,\u201d she admits.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre they going to help, or are they not? Do they care, or do they not?\u201d she asks. \u201cIt\u2019s not just me and my babies. There are millions of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are 41.7 million Americans in a similar position as Bibb, to be exact \u2014\u00a0receiving an average $187.20 in SNAP benefits each month, according to the USDA. The latest hits from the shutdown come on top of uncertainty these Americans already face. The Trump administration\u2019s One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed earlier this year expanded work requirements, ended eligibility for lawful immigrants and complicated qualifications for SNAP. States were also asked to foot more of the bill.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re facing food insecurity, local resources are a great first place to look for help. Many food banks, churches and agencies are organizing food drives. For example, local fraternities and elderly communities have already offered to donate Thanksgiving meals where Bibb lives, according to Kelly Edmonson, the social services director for Montgomery County, Va.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019re looking for ways to be a good neighbor, you can donate food, time or money to the organizations above.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want the bare minimum of what comfortable living is.\u201d<\/h2>\n

Amid the SNAP drama, Bibb\u2019s kids have suggested other ideas for income, like hosting a yard sale or lemonade stand. It makes her feel guilty. But she\u2019s doing the best she can with what she has.<\/p>\n

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\"Bibb<\/figure>\n
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Bibb says she doesn\u2019t spend much beyond the essentials. She rarely buys herself new clothes or shoes. Instead, she relies on donations, yard sales, and curbside furniture at the nearby college. Still, she\u2019s felt the stigma commonly associated with SNAP recipients \u2014 like being called lazy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

But \u201cthe majority of people on food stamps don\u2019t want to be on food stamps,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

Likewise, her neighbors are warding off poverty. They work at fast food restaurants, gas stations or Walmart, trying to stay afloat. Many went to high school together or have met at food pantries or in Facebook giveaway groups.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have each other\u2019s backs,\u201d Bibb explains. \u201cBut a lot of the time, none of us have much to give.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her dream of financial independence is simple: reliable income, comfort and a college fund for her kids.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have to have a nice house or drive a Mercedes,\u201d she says. \u201cI want to know that I can put food on the table and I don\u2019t have to count pennies for gas every week. I just want the bare minimum of what comfortable living is, and I don\u2019t have to worry about losing it all.\u201d<\/p>\n

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