Nearly 42 million Americans who rely on food assistance are now facing a new reality. As the federal government stretches into its fifth week, the Trump Administration has confirmed that it will provide only half of the usual food stamps benefits for November. This decision has left millions of beneficiaries uncertain about how they will afford their next meal.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is the largest food aid program in the country, is running out of funds due to the ongoing budget stalemate in Washington. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said that it would tap $4.65 billion from the program’s contingency fund to cover only 50% of benefits amid legal and funding constraints caused by the shutdown. Another $600 million will be used for state administration and nutrition programs in America Samoa and Puerto Rico.
According to a sworn statement from USDA official Patrick Penn, recipients will not receive the payments immediately. This is because states will have to reprogram their systems to adjust reduced allotments.
“It is unclear how many States will complete the changes in an automated manner with minimal disruption versus manual overrides or computations that could lead to payment errors and significant delays,” Penn told the court.
SNAP Recipients Caught in the Middle
Millions of beneficiaries are worried about how long their remaining groceries will last. Already, many of them missed their November benefits over the weekend and more expect to face similar delays as the month continues.
The USDA said that it avoided pulling $4 billion from other child nutrition programs to fund SNAP benefits because it would leave an unprecedented gap in funding for school meal programs. “Shifting $4 billion dollars to America’s SNAP population merely shifts the problem to millions of America’s low-income children that receive their meals at school,” Penn explained.
A Crisis at the Food Banks
Following that announcement, uncertainty and panic have hit the country as food banks, charities, and local nonprofits become overwhelmed, saying that they cannot fill the gap left. “The potential is absolutely devastating, cataclysmic, in fact, for the whole nation,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “For every one meal that the charitable food system can provide, SNAP has been providing nine. That’s why I’m saying ‘cataclysmic.'”
Food banks from Alaska to Massachusetts are reporting surging demand as unpaid federal workers and low-income families turn to them for help. “We’re already seeing an increase,” said Cara Durr, CEO of Food Bank of Alaska. “We expect that will continue,” he added.
“I used to work in the disaster response bureau, and this is the disaster response now,” she said. “It’s shocking to see this happen in the United States,” said Nina Savransky, a former disaster response worker now volunteering at a D.C.-area food bank.
Working Americans Join the Lines
Besides beneficiaries from low-income families, federal employees who have no pay for weeks now have been forced to seek food assistance too. “We’ve been volunteering here for a while; we live a few blocks away. And now we’re on the receiving end,” said Colby, a 21-year State Department employee. “I’m just thankful it’s here.”
Another federal worker said that the situation was serious as they have to choose between feeding themselves or paying bills. He also noted that the food assistance programs are shrinking at a time when the holidays are just around the corner and people are likely to go hungry.
Local Grocers Brace for the Fallout
Small grocers who have been relying heavily on SNAP customers say their businesses are on the brink. Local Grocers Brace for the Fallout. “Possibly the worst time of business,” said Daweit Gebru, co-owner of Elmira Market in Washington, D.C., estimating that 60% to 65% of sales come from SNAP users. He also said that he and his brother have been forced to rely on credit cards to keep their store running.
In Maine, market manager Sydney McKinnis said that she would be creating a discounted “November special” under $150 to help families afford food. This would, however, see her business make almost zero profits.
The Human Cost of a Political Stalemate
While Speaker Mike Johnson suggested that there would be some actions taken to end the shutdown after Election Day, millions are already suffering. “Congress can debate budgets all day, but you don’t debate whether children get to go to bed hungry,” said Rachel Kent, a SNAP recipient.
Babineaux-Fontenot, the CEO of Feeding America, warned that disastrous consequences would follow if November’s food stamps continue to be delayed, and not just for the hungry recipients but for the country itself.