Terrified moms speak out, say their kids face starvation as SNAP benefits expire: ‘We have nothing’

The countdown to this play looks dismal to Kelli Austin.

Rather than looking guardant to spending value clip pinch her children, nan azygous mom of 3 is staring down nan tube of starvation. 

“I don’t cognize really I’m going to provender my kids tomorrow,” Austin, 38, an addiction betterment coach from Augusta, Maine, told The Post done tears.

She’s conscionable 1 of nan 42 cardinal Americans being stripped of their market fund benefits — financial support provided by nan Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — connected Saturday, Nov. 1.

The nonaccomplishment of her $300 monthly stipend intends Austin, who has 3 teens aged betwixt 13 and 17 — who are often teased for receiving free meal and luncheon astatine schoolhouse — won’t beryllium capable to put nutrient connected nan array during weekends and schoolhouse vacations. 

And she has moreover greater fears for what will go of nan vacation play for her family.

While nan different parents will beryllium engaged piling their shopping carts pinch turkeys and treats, Austin worries that this will beryllium nan first clip successful astir 2 decades that her family will spell hungry. 

“I’ll person to look them successful nan eyes and say, ‘Sorry, I couldn’t do better,’” she said.

Austin comes from “generational poverty.”

It’s a family curse she’s fought to break since moving successful supplier rehabilitation centers complete nan past fewer years, hoping to pave a smoother way for her kids.

However, nan gig doesn’t salary much, and what she earns from her occupation conscionable hardly covers nan costs of rent for her subsidized housing, arsenic good arsenic different family bills.

“I’ve been a SNAP recipient for galore years; those benefits provender my family,” explained Austin, who is besides taking assemblage classes successful summation to moving her job. “Without them, we person nothing.”

Hers is nan troubling destiny of low-income families, arsenic good arsenic nan abnormal and nan elderly, nationwide.  

“I don’t cognize what I’m going to do,” she further stated. “The nutrient banks successful our organization are each but depleted. I person to return days disconnected from activity to hold successful statement astatine 4:00 a.m., hoping I get capable to screen america for a fewer days.”

“We’re not talking astir luxury here,” Austin insisted. “We’re talking astir basal meals, stableness and dignity.”  

Austin holds some nan section and national governments responsible for leaving Americans retired to dry.

“I’m not a statistic, I’m your constituent,” she asserted. “You return these programs distant from me, you return nutrient retired of my kids’ mouths, which jeopardizes their health. It’s ungodly.”

Stricken pinch respective autoimmune conditions herself, Austin says taking connected a 2nd occupation — while juggling her existent domiciled pinch assemblage and solo parenting — is virtually impossible. 

“I return complete 9 medications each time conscionable to beryllium capable to spell to work,” she sobbed. “I’m virtually doing my champion — and each that families for illustration excavation request is for nan authorities to do theirs, too.”

Lauren, 35, a azygous mom of 2 girls and a SNAP recipient, from Syracuse, agrees. 

“Instead of our authorities showing up for its people, it wants to punish people, and that’s not leadership. Its coercion, successful nan astir twisted way,” Lauren, a geriatric companion attraction provider, tells The Post. 

She chose to conceal her past name. 

“Sure, immoderate group maltreatment nan systems, but those cases are fewer and acold between,” Lauren argued. “I americium a azygous mother who gets up each morning, sends her kids to school, goes to activity and pursues acquisition because I want to beryllium a use to nan system and society. But you consciousness for illustration there’s a ft connected your neck.”

The New Yorker, however, wasn’t ever astatine nan bottommost of nan nutrient chain. 

Shortly aft starting a family pinch her now ex-husband, Lauren near firm America to go a full-time stay-at-home mom. 

However, erstwhile her hubby precocious decided to “take a different guidance successful life,” ending their matrimony and leaving her “completely alone” pinch nary support for nan kids, Lauren had nary prime but to move to SNAP for help. 

“It took maine a agelong clip to find a occupation that would activity astir my kids’ schoolhouse schedule,” said nan singleton, now surviving successful a shelter pinch her daughters, ages 5 and 8.

It’s a impermanent surviving business for Lauren’s family, and she says she is moving toward securing a spot for herself and nan girls successful nan adjacent future.

The shelter, which she chose not to name, does supply 1 meal, 4 days per week, to its tenants. However, for each different meals, including snacks and beverages, residents are connected their own. 

“SNAP benefits were nan only point we had,” Lauren recalled of nan first fewer months aft her split. “It was very scary,”

She’s relied connected nan market money — pinch which she buys her kids eggs, bacon, cereal, fruits, juice, and mini croissants arsenic a typical dainty — since March. 

“Living successful a shelter, you consciousness thing but insecurity. You don’t cognize really long that surviving business will last,” said Lauren. “SNAP has provided america security.”

“My income isn’t capable to screen nan insane summation successful market prices,” she confessed. “And now, that activity of alleviation that SNAP has been for my family is being taken away.”

Like Austin, without nan benefits, Lauren will besides beryllium forced to move to section nutrient pantries and crockery kitchens for support. 

While nationalist lawmakers proceed their standoff successful DC, successful New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has vowed to allocate $65 cardinal to emergency nutrient providers crossed nan state. That money is connected apical of $30 cardinal of existing backing for those programs she touted earlier this week.

The state’s emergency backing will not switch existing SNAP funds. However, it will backfill organizations, including nan Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program and Nourish NY.

Still, Lauren remains fearful for nan future.

“You don’t recognize really beardown you are until beardown is each you person left,” she said. “When you’re a mother, you person to grind. But I can’t do this connected my own.”