A government shutdown has put November SNAP benefits at risk, threatening food access for families across the United States including the Oceti Sakowin and all 574 Tribal Nations. Tell Congress to honor treaty obligations and protect SNAP now. When we close our prayers with Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ, we affirm a sacred truth: our wellbeing is bound together. To live by those words, we cannot allow our neighbors to go hungry while our own tables are full.

Food access is rooted in treaty rights and trust responsibilities, not a privilege.
The U.S. government made solemn treaty and trust commitments to Tribal Nations. Those responsibilities do not disappear during a government shutdown. SNAP is not charity. It is a legal and moral commitment to ensure families have what they need to live with dignity and stability.

This is not only about hunger. It is about education and sovereignty.
Hunger isn’t just a health issue. It impacts students’ ability to focus, learn, and thrive. Even during a shutdown, treaty obligations remain the supreme law of the land.

We must act now.
Lawmakers need to hear directly from South Dakota families, Tribal Nations, educators, and advocates.

A hungry child cannot learn. A government that ignores its responsibilities fails its future.