With the government shutdown on Oct. 1, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program faced a pause on disbursements that almost left thousands of low-income families unable to make it through the month. With Congress unable to pass the bill necessary to fund the government for the next fiscal year before the Sep. 30 deadline, SNAP officially shut down for the first time in six decades.
When the U.S Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service announced they would withhold issuing their benefits for Nov. starting on Oct. 10, people who rely on food assistance programs began reaching out to organizations for aid and attending a multitude of food banks.
With a sense of uncertainty in the air for Californians, Governor Gavin Newsom sued the Trump administration on Oct. 28. His lawsuit aimed to provide benefits for millions of Californian recipients, and fully restored funding for the rest of Nov. before the shutdown was lifted. The state also assisted by providing $80 million in state funds to support food banks. Officials say they will keep working to ensure families have access to food support even if conditions after the shutdown worsen…