After a week of stressful delays, SNAP benefits began arriving to some recipients Friday amid legal battles over food assistance program funding during government shutdown.
“I feel a lot less stressed, and last night I was able to sleep for the first time,” said Erica Arneson, a single mother from Tacoma, Washington, whose full benefits arrived Thursday night around 7 p.m.
The turmoil over the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, began when the Agriculture Department said last month that it would not be able to pay benefits while the government remained closed. Then, in response to a lawsuit challenging the plan, the USDA agreed provide partial funds for November. But on Thursday Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to fully fund SNAP benefits.
The administration appealed the decision, but told the states that it was completely fund the program during this process. On Friday night, the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the Trump administration's request for an emergency pause ordered by a judge. The Trump administration subsequently asked the Supreme Court to block it from fully funding the SNAP program. That request was temporarily granted Friday evening.
Because of these ever-changing events, some SNAP recipients have seen only a fraction of the benefits they normally receive in their bills over the last couple of days. Others, like Arneson, received the amount for the entire month. However, many recipients are still waiting zero balance.
Following the judge's ruling Thursday, some states began transferring funds overnight.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers quickly moved to make all SNAP benefits available throughout the state. In Oregon, Gov. Tina Kotek's office similarly said the state health department was “working through the night to issue full November benefits by Friday morning.” SNAP recipients in Oregon should see their electronic benefit cards reloaded on Friday, regardless of their regular payment schedule, the office said. stated in the press release.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said at a news conference Friday ahead of the Supreme Court's decision that all SNAP recipients whose payments were delayed this week should see their cards reloaded by midnight. He added that the state health department immediately began processing the payments Thursday following the federal judge's order.
“If you're one of those people who had a zero on your SNAP card because you were due on the first of the month, check this out. Those dollars are flowing,” Shapiro said.
Louisiana has electronic benefit cards. started to reboot with partial payment on Friday.
Gia Haley, who lives in New Orleans, said she received $193 on Friday morning — 65% of her usual amount (the portion the Trump administration said it would fund before the judge's ruling on Thursday). Until the money came, Haley tried to eat mostly black coffee.
Almost immediately after the benefit was applied to her card, she went to the grocery store to buy fruits, vegetables, frozen chicken breast, cereal, rice and milk.
“I think it should last at least two to three weeks, I hope. I'll try to stretch it out as long as possible,” she said.
Haley isn't sure if she should count on the remaining $105 that's missing from her regular monthly budget, so she rations what she's given.
Nevada similar issued partial SNAP benefits eligible households on Wednesday, and Illinois said it would begin to distribute partial benefits on Friday. The Alaska Department of Health said SNAP recipients may wait to start receiving partial payments this week and the remainder of their benefits next week.
Kim Goldsby, a SNAP recipient who lives in Washington, said she was surprised Friday morning to find $224 — her full monthly payment — loaded onto her electronic benefits card.
Goldsby's payments were delayed from Monday, when they would normally have been extended. At 66, she is disabled and in remission from endometrial cancer, so she relies on SNAP for fresh vegetables, pork and chicken.
Because of the recent chaos in the SNAP program, she's still worried about whether the money currently in her account will stay there.
“Tomorrow he might not be here anymore. Who knows? That's something that worries me a little bit – not just for myself, but for others as well,” she said.
The Washington State Department of Human Services and Health Services, which oversees the state's SNAP program, did not respond to a request for comment.
