Green Bay Rep. Rivera Wagner Statement on Government Shutdown Impacting WIC and FoodShare Benefits

Green Bay, WI — Representative Amaad Rivera Wagner released the following statement regarding the ongoing government shutdown and its devastating impact on Wisconsin families who rely on WIC and FoodShare (SNAP) benefits:

“This shutdown is more than a political standoff. It is an act of cruelty that will hurt working families, mothers, and children the most. Across Wisconsin, over 700,000 people are now at risk of losing access to basic food and groceries if this shutdown continues. In Green Bay, that means real people, families, veterans, and seniors will be forced to make impossible choices about how to eat and how to live.”

“I know what that feels like because I lived it. My family once relied on these same benefits to survive, and even then, we still needed to visit a food pantry every month just to get by. No one should have to face that kind of uncertainty in a country as wealthy as ours.”

According to Governor Tony Evers, FoodShare benefits will only be guaranteed through the next nine days unless federal funding is restored. WIC benefits remain available for now, but continued inaction in Washington will leave pregnant women and children under five without vital nutrition assistance. The Governor’s administration is working with local agencies and nonprofit partners to ensure Wisconsin families know where to turn for help in the meantime.

Rivera Wagner emphasized that this harm did not begin with the shutdown. “Let’s be clear, the cruelty started months ago. The so-called Big Beautiful Bill already cut programs that feed and educate families, and we saw the results right here in Green Bay when our local FoodWise program shut down. That was a warning. Now, this shutdown accelerates the hardship that was already underway. While the wealthiest Americans are getting the largest tax breaks in history, working families are being told to go hungry. It’s shameful, and it’s a sad day for Wisconsin.”

Despite his frustration, Rivera Wagner said the people of Green Bay have always shown resilience in the face of  hardship.“In moments like these, our community steps up. I will keep fighting to get these benefits restored, but in the meantime, I know Green Bay will do what it always does, take care of each other.”

Rivera Wagner concluded, “I have seen firsthand that when Washington shuts down, Green Bay steps up. We will keep showing what real community looks like, and we will not let our neighbors go hungry.”

Local Resources Available to Residents in Need

New Community Shelter
301 Mather St., Green Bay
(920) 437 3766

• Dinner: 5:00 to 6:00 PM, seven days a week, all year
• Lunch: 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, every weekend and on all holidays

Salvation Army – Green Bay Corps Community Center
626 Union Court, Green Bay
(920) 497 7053

• Lunch: Monday through Friday, 11:15 AM to 12:15 PM
• Community refrigerators: Johannes Park and Samaritan’s Heart
• WIC services available for pregnant women and children up to age five

Residents enrolled in FoodShare (SNAP) should visit ACCESS.wi.gov to ensure their contact information is up to date. This will be critical to avoid delays or interruptions in benefits once funding is restored.