Beyond politics — Real people are hurting

The Revs. Shawn Berkebile and Matthew Best

This week, a woman walked into church in tears after learning that her SNAP benefits would not be available in November due to the ongoing government shutdown.

She wasn’t there to debate politics. She came because she didn’t know how she would feed her children.

Across the Commonwealth, millions of Pennsylvanians are facing the same reality. Reports indicate that SNAP payments were frozen on Oct. 16, and uncertainty continues to ripple through programs like WIC and Medicaid, leaving families anxious and nonprofits overwhelmed.

Thousands of households in York and Adams Counties depend on these benefits each month, and many will soon turn to organizations like New Hope Ministries, the Hanover Area Council of Churches, the York County Food Bank,