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The Trump administration is appealing a court order to fully fund the SNAP program. Some states paid into it themselves, but the administration says that they need to take the money back. Food banks are trying to help, including some at schools. Jillian Forstadt of member station WESA visited one in Pittsburgh.
JILLIAN FORSTADT, BYLINE: At the end of each school week, students pack the pantry at Brashear High School. Every surface in the room is covered with fresh produce, dairy, frozen meat, even hygiene products. It's a big help for students like Ryan (ph), who says his family relies on the benefits they receive through SNAP - benefits that were disrupted by the government shutdown.
RYAN: The economy's a little bit rough, so my mom said try and get some food - help out the family. So that's what I'm doing today.
FORSTADT: Friday was the junior's second time inside the food pantry. We aren't using full names because the students in this story are minors, and we're asking them and their families to discuss their finances. Ryan is here picking up supplies for meals he plans to cook for his family.
RYAN: Canned stuff - it's all right, but mainly, like, the ingredients from the fruits and vegetable section - make some nice dinners for them.
FORSTADT: Pennsylvania was among the states that started to issue full SNAP benefits on Friday after a court order. Ryan's family received their full benefits, but the Trump administration has called those payments, quote, "unauthorized." Given the uncertainty, Ryan's mom, Roberta (ph), told NPR she's afraid to spend the money. She says the food pantry at her son's high school has been a godsend.
CHRISTINE WOLSKI: We got to keep going. We don't have a lot of time.
FORSTADT: Health teacher Christine Wolski keeps things moving at the pantry. The pantry opens for about an hour at the end of the school day, just before students head home. Students get about five minutes to shop.
WOLSKI: Let's go. Let's go. (Speaking Spanish).
FORSTADT: Wolski helped open the pantry at Brashear last year.
WOLSKI: We're getting more and more students because of the SNAP benefits and stuff like that. So we are seeing a lot more students.
FORSTADT: Students like 12th-grader N, who we're identifying only by his first initial. English is N's second language. He's at the pantry to pick up some essentials for the weekend.
N: I see what my mom liked last time and what was not wasted. My favorite thing? I would say this right here. How do you call it? Organ (ph). Maybe pinach (ph).
FORSTADT: Spinach, yeah.
N: Spinach.
FORSTADT: And N is shopping for a big household, including some younger siblings.
And these are the ramen packets you're, like, getting for your siblings, you said?
N: Yeah, yeah, my little siblings 'cause they're very picky.
FORSTADT: N's family relies on SNAP to help put food on the table. N says as of Tuesday afternoon, they're still waiting on this month's payment.
N: I don't know if it's coming in or anything, but yeah, so that. So now we have to spend more money into that, and we got to buy stuff for winter - you know? - 'cause it's about to get cold and stuff so very stressful, very.
FORSTADT: Teacher Christine Wolski says that stress shows up in the classroom.
WOLSKI: If you're not fed, you're not learning. So that's one of the reasons why we're, like, hitting this so hard.
FORSTADT: The pantry at Brashear was created to support student learning. And because of that, Wolski says it will continue to serve students each week, even when the government reopens and SNAP payments go through.
For NPR News, I'm Jillian Forstadt in Pittsburgh.
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