Opinion | Hunger doesn't begin or end with a government shutdown

Now that the government shutdown has ended, we are relieved that SNAP benefits will once again be available to help families facing hunger in our community. Unfortunately, the resolution to this latest political stalemate does not remove the barriers for neighbors who struggle to afford food — or the deeper crisis of food insecurity that persists in our community.

Hunger in southwestern Wisconsin doesn’t begin or end with a government shutdown. Even in less tumultuous times, despite most families having someone working one or more jobs, nearly 147,000 people — including 40,000 children — live in households that can’t always afford enough nutritious food. For the one in four families living paycheck to paycheck in this country, even one missed paycheck or delay in benefits can mean empty r