Energy assistance
⚡ Funded — but fragile
LIHEAP funded $4.05B for FY2026 — but federal staff were fired and not replaced
Congress overrode the administration's attempt to zero out LIHEAP. Funding exists but states are running programs without federal guidance. Apply early — funds are limited and only ~1-in-6 eligible households are served.
▲Home heating costs projected up ~11% this winter
▲States running programs with no federal guidance
✓Apply through your state energy office — funds exist now
Food bank capacity
🔴 Under serious strain
$1B in federal food aid cut — TEFAP and LFPA programs both slashed
TEFAP previously covered 20%+ of all Feeding America distributions. Some food banks have cut 40% of mobile pantries. Rural communities are hardest hit — federal food was up to 50% of local supply in some areas.
▲SNAP cuts pushing more people to food banks
▲Food bank systems described as "at the breaking point"
✓Feeding America locator — fastest way to find your nearest bank
VA / veterans
🔴 Access degraded
VA shed 40,000 employees — mental health therapists leaving faster than replacements hired
ProPublica (March 2026): veterans cycling through 3+ assigned therapists, many giving up on care entirely. New patient mental health waits: 19–35 days nationally, with some clinics at 54–121 days after staff departures.
▲700 social workers and 1,000 physicians lost in FY2025
▲Some VA clinics: 121-day mental health waits
✓Veterans Crisis Line (988 · Press 1) — fully operational 24/7
Mental health services
⚠ Patchwork access
Community mental health center grants under pressure — 988 remains the stable entry point
HHS community mental health grants targeted for reduction. Medicaid rollbacks affect low-income coverage. The crisis lines on this page are fully funded and available today.
▲HHS community mental health grants under reduction pressure
▲Medicaid cuts affecting mental health coverage
✓988 and Crisis Text Line (741741) — fully operational