While those who receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program were initially unaffected by the government shutdown in October, funding was halted once November came, leaving many families with no choice but to rely on food pantries. The only funds recipients have left for November include anything left over from the previous month.
The administration announced that those in the program would receive half of their usual amount for the month.
Receiving even a portion of their expected benefits may be better than nothing, but it is simply not enough. When applying for SNAP, the amount one receives per month changes based on their income, household size and housing expenses.
When applying for SNAP, the amount one receives per month changes based on their income, household size and housing expenses.
The amount distributed often doesn’t always cover the total amount a household spends on groceries in a month as it is a supplement, not a sole funding source, leaving many struggling to get food on the table. With the holidays coming around, this problem looks like it will inevitably worsen.
SNAP is extremely specific on what items are eligible for coverage. Non-food items are ineligible, including medicine, alcohol, tobacco products and pre-prepared foods. There is no way to “trick” the system into buying things other than household food staples.
As the Trump administration refused to release anything from the Federal Contingency Funding, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for New York State on Oct. 30.
It was an attempt to grant any sort of food assistance to nearly 3 million New Yorkers who usually receive such benefits. Hochul announced $65 million to reinforce the state’s network of food banks and pantries.
The amount is just one-tenth of what the state is typically able to administer.
Many states began to enact full payouts for SNAP after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide the funds amid the shutdown on Nov. 7. The U.S. Agriculture Department, which administers SNAP, told states to undo any actions toward full funds immediately, threatening financial penalties to states who did not.
As of Nov. 8, the Electronic Benefits Transfer SNAP portal told New York recipients, “The Supreme Court paused a ruling to restore full November SNAP benefits. We’re working to understand what this means for deposits already issued.”
Many New Yorkers still have not received the half benefits promised to them.
The administration expressed that states would be held “responsible for the consequences” in the shutdown.
The order came as the president was seen at his second lavish and extravagant Mar-a-Lago party in Florida amid the shutdown as thousands of federal workers go without pay and millions of Americans go without their monthly food assistance.
The first party started just hours before midnight on Halloween when the benefits were about to be halted, reminiscent of a “let them eat cake” mindset and scenes from Suzanne Collin’s “The Hunger Games.”
