What SNAP recipients need to know amid the government shutdown
As the federal government shutdown continues, tens of millions of Americans are experiencing disruptions to their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as SNAP, that allow them to buy food.
SNAP benefits stopped on Saturday, Nov. 1, as a result of the shutdown, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the federal agency that administers the program.
A legal battle over SNAP funding is currently playing out in court, with the Trump administration actively fighting a court order requiring the government to fund the program.
The pause in SNAP benefits is estimated to impact around 42 million Americans, including 16 million children.
Here are five things for SNAP recipients to know about the pause in benefits.
1. Food assistance may be provided temporarily by your state
As of Nov. 7, at least six states -- including New Jersey and Vermont -- and the District of Columbia have begun issuing SNAP benefits for their residents for November, despite the ongoing legal battle.
On the USDA website, you can access a state directory to learn more about temporary assistance and local resources in your state.
2. Leftover money on your EBT card will roll over
Each month, SNAP benefits are loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer or EBT cards. The card functions like a reloadable debit card and can be used to buy food at grocery stores and farmer's markets, as well as some online retailers.
EBT cards will continue to work in November, even as SNAP benefits are frozen.
That means that even though the normal monthly benefits payment will not appear on the card, SNAP recipients should hold onto their EBT card and may continue to use it if they have remaining money leftover, according to Feeding America, a nonprofit organization.
3. Help is available from food banks, donations
Nonprofit organizations and individuals across the country have stepped up to make sure their fellow community members do not go hungry during the expected pause in SNAP benefits.
Click HERE to find resources ranging from community stocked fridges to food banks and restaurant-backed food rescue sites.
4. There is no set date for when SNAP benefits will return
SNAP benefits are expected to resume after congressional lawmakers pass a bill funding the federal government, which will end the current shutdown.
Currently, Republican and Democratic lawmakers are at a stalemate, having failed to advance any proposed legislation to reopen the government.
The current U.S. government shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history.
5. People may continue to apply for SNAP benefits
Even as SNAP benefits are paused due to the federal government shutdown, people may still apply for the program.
Each state has its own application form, and a directory of contact information for local SNAP offices can be found on the USDA website.
ABC News' Peter Charalambous and Katherine Faulders contributed to this report.
Editor's note: This report was first published on Oct. 31, 2025.
