I agree that you should talk to your T about it. She might also be willing to put you on a payment plan, where you'd pay less for now, then once your business is going more, you can pay back some of the other money. I agree that you should look into food stamps, now generally called SNAP (name might vary depending on state). They generally just give you a card that's like a credit card to use, not literal stamps anymore (my aunt is on it). Dumpster diving could make you really sick, since the food might be spoiled. Try just buying stuff that's cheap that you can get a lot of use out of, like a bag of rice, dried beans, etc.
But please talk to your T. And I like RuhRoh's suggestions for making a little extra money for now while you get off the ground. I also do freelance (editing--not sure what area you're in), and I know it can be scary not having a regular paycheck, but it's also very freeing. Try to use any connections you have to get more work.