The government froze food aid. Tribes are thawing old traditions.

On Nov. 1st, when the Trump administration announced it would not disburse benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, due to the ongoing government shutdown, tribal governments began to scramble. Approximately 25 percent of Indigenous households are considered food insecure and rely on SNAP as well as the Federal Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, or FDPIR , a monthly food package program.

“Usually, when it comes to feeding the low-income or poor people, Congress has always found a way to do it,” said OJ Semans, a member of the Rosebud Sioux and director of the Coalition of Large Tribes , an advocacy group representing nations with large land bases. “Now they don’t.” Your support powers solutions-focused climate reporting — keeping it free