It’s been about six years since Brett Worsencroft faced what was previously the longest government shutdown on record, unsure of how long his family’s savings would last.
"There weren't any services for us as federal employees,” he said. “I didn't know where to go for help.”
Now, as the owner of The Taco Spot Utah, he found himself on the other side, serving free meals to those facing the same uncertainty he once faced.
“That's something I wish I would have had during the first 35-day shut down,” he said. “Would have been nice to be able to take my family out and go eat a meal and just not think about how we're going to pay the next bill.”
While Worsencroft stressed that he’s “not rich,” he said his love language has always been food — and this time around, he was in a position to help, so that’s what he did. His business has been giving away about 15 meals a day since the federal government shut down on Oct. 1.
Across town at Himalayan Flavor, owner Roshan Kumar was offering the same deal: one free meal a day per customer for those affected by the shutdown.
Kumar said he’d been following the news, seeing food banks struggle to keep up and hearing stories of people with no money for groceries. It left him wondering how he could lend a hand to his community.
“And that's when it clicked,” he recalled. “OK, let's do free meals for whoever needs it.”
Since that decision, Kumar said overall business has increased. Customers started calling in to purchase meals for those in need, and donations on the restaurant’s website were pouring in. His staff counted about 15-20 families coming in each day for a free meal. Shonna was one of them.
She asked that UPR only use her first name, and stressed that her opinions are hers alone, and not those of the federal government.
Until Thursday, Shonna was a furloughed federal employee, working about 20 hours each week as a DoorDash driver to bring in a little money. Now, as the shutdown ends and she returns to work, she’ll receive back pay for the time she was furloughed.
While Shonna said she’s grateful for the support she received from her community, she stressed that it was also really hard learning to rely on others for help. She had been especially nervous going into Himalayan Flavor to ask for a free meal. As someone who doesn’t usually struggle to find words, Shonna recalled the discomfort she felt as her server returned to her table with their water.
“I said to my husband, ‘Gosh, I don’t know what to say — how should I say it?’”
But once she managed to ask, Shonna said it was all smiles.
“It was seriously only courtesy and genuine kindness,” she said. “The food came out. It was delicious, you know? It was dignified.”
Shonna isn’t the only one who struggled with the stigma of asking for help. Kaylee is a part time student at Utah State University whose disability causes her to have seizures. She asked that UPR only use her first name.
Only able to work part time, Kaylee found herself struggling to make ends meet, so about a year and a half ago she decided to apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Access Program. But when the shutdown caused delays and reductions in SNAP funding, she didn’t know how long her reserves were going to last. Fortunately, she said generous friends and family helped keep food on her table while she navigated a suddenly tighter budget.
Kaylee said watching the debates and stigmas around programs like SNAP has been frustrating. Like many people enrolled in the program, she never thought she would be in a position that forced her to rely on it — but that’s precisely why it’s there.
“One bad thing can happen and you are kind of screwed for a long time, because it takes a long time to get back up and in a comfortable position,” she said. “It just takes one mishap.”
Palak Gupta, co-director of USU’s Hunger Solutions Institute, echoed that sentiment.
“It takes such an emotional toll on someone if they don't know where the next meal is coming from,” Gupta said. “Even after the benefits are restored it takes time for households to recover from all this debt, and missed meals, and health setbacks.”
She said consequences for children are especially severe.
“Children who are food insecure and don't get enough nutritious food, can lead to developmental delays and learning delays,” she said, “so it's huge to have healthy and proper nutrition across the lifespan.”
And in Utah, that concern affects a lot of families. More than two-thirds of SNAP recipients in Utah live in households with children, according to a 2024 report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Gupta also warned of broader, long-term ripple effects, including increased pressure on healthcare systems, added strain on schools and communities, and a widening of social and economic inequities.
While Gupta worries about the long-term strain on communities, places like the Cache Community Food Pantry were working to soften the blow in the short term. Director Matt Whitaker said he has been overwhelmed by the generosity of the community.
The local pantry supplies food to roughly 1,600 families every month, and also provides goods to eight senior centers and several local nonprofits.
But throughout recessions and pandemics, the director said Cache Valley has always stepped up when the situation is dire.
“And that’s a unique thing about Cache Valley," he said. "It seems like when the chips are down is when we do better.”
Others put it less delicately. Back at The Taco Spot, Worsencroft didn’t mince words.
“Screw the government,” he said with a laugh. “We can help ourselves. We’ll take care of our people.”