Nicole Witherbee is president and CEO of the John T. Gorman Foundation.

Children depend on adults for their safety, health and well-being. Of course, these adults include the parents and caregivers they interact with every day along with the many others — family, teachers, doctors, afterschool educators, mentors — who play a direct role in a child’s life. 

But the responsibility to look out for children extends to all of us. Children are born into a world run and governed by adults. Their well-being largely depends on the decisions we make — at home, in school, in our communities, in Augusta, or Washington, D.C. When these decisions put children in a position to succeed, everyone benefits. But it’s also the right thing to do.  

At this moment, we are falling short of that responsibility in a most basic way. While many children are already going hungry, things are about to get much worse without action at the federal level.

As the federal government shutdown continues, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has said it will not distribute Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in November, retracting its original plan to cover the shortfall with $5 billion in available contingency funds.

In response, Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King have co-sponsored legislation to provide uninterrupted benefits, while Rep. Chellie Pingree has called on the administration to release the available funds. Despite these efforts, 170,000 Mainers stand to lose access to vital support come Nov. 1.

Children make up more than a third of households receiving SNAP benefits, meaning that 55,000 Maine kids could soon go without the food they need to grow, learn and thrive. This comes at a time when more than 1 in 5 Maine children are already food insecure, the highest rate in New England. 

If SNAP benefits are not restored, the effects on children will be profound. Put yourself in the place of these children as they try to focus at school on an empty stomach or go to bed hungry. Childhood hunger can be more than a temporary hardship. At a vital time of child development, this compounded stress and uncertainty can have lasting effects throughout their life. 

Along with the high costs of food, other recent federal actions have already made it harder for Maine communities and families to feed children. Historic cuts to SNAP have reduced or eliminated assistance for thousands of Mainers. School nutrition programs have lost funding. And local food pantries — which are already seeing an unprecedented level of demand — are receiving fewer government resources. 

Gov. Janet Mills has urged the philanthropic community to join the state in helping to stem the growing crisis. As a foundation committed to the resilience and success of Maine children, we are doing our part with a grant to Good Shepherd Food Bank. We are proud to be among the many Maine organizations, businesses and individuals who are working together right now to lessen the blow on our neighbors.

Even as we encourage everyone to support this cause, we know state and private efforts are not enough to cover the $29 million a month Mainers stand to lose in SNAP benefits. As we pile sandbags on the shore, the rising tsunami is seismic.

Still, this coming crisis is preventable. As the wealthiest nation in the world, we have ample resources to ensure no child goes hungry. Whatever divisions have gotten us here, our shared commitment and responsibility to children — to our future — can help us find a solution. Even at this time of division, we should be able to work together to keep children’s health and well-being out of harm’s way. 

Kids are looking for the adults in the room to stand up for them. Will we have their backs? I hope so.