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SNAP Benefits See Tumultuous Week Amid Court Battles and Government Shutdown
After a week of uncertainty and delays, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have begun to reach some recipients, though the process has been anything but smooth. The flow of these crucial food assistance funds has been heavily influenced by ongoing court battles and the broader implications of the government shutdown.
For many, the arrival of benefits brought immediate relief. Erica Arneson, a single mother in Tacoma, Washington, expressed her newfound peace of mind after her full benefits arrived Thursday evening. “I am feeling a lot less stressed, and I was able to sleep last night for the first time,” she shared.
The rollercoaster for SNAP recipients began last month when the Agriculture Department announced it would be unable to provide benefits during the government shutdown. This led to a lawsuit, prompting the USDA to agree to partial funding for November. However, a federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits.
This ruling sparked further legal wrangling. The administration appealed the decision but informed states that full funding would proceed during the appeal process.
On Friday evening, the First Circuit Court of Appeals denied the administration’s emergency request to pause the judge’s order. Undeterred, the Trump administration then sought intervention from the Supreme Court, which temporarily granted their request on Friday night.
These rapid developments have meant a mixed bag for SNAP recipients. While some, like Arneson, received their full monthly allocation, others saw only a portion of their usual benefits. A significant number of recipients are still waiting with zero balances.
Following Thursday’s judicial order, some states moved swiftly to disburse funds. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers ensured full SNAP benefits were made available statewide. Similarly, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s office reported that the state health department “worked through the night to issue full November benefits by Friday morning,” with electronic benefits cards expected to be reloaded regardless of usual payment schedules.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, speaking at a Friday press conference before the Supreme Court ruling, assured that all SNAP recipients facing delays this week should see their cards reloaded by midnight. He noted that the state’s health department had immediately begun processing payments after the federal judge’s order.
“If you’re one of those people that had a zero on your SNAP card because you were supposed to get your benefits on the first of the month, go check it out. Those dollars are flowing,” Shapiro encouraged.
In Louisiana, electronic benefits cards started to be reloaded with partial payments on Friday. Gia Haley of New Orleans received $193, approximately 65% of her typical allocation, which was the amount the Trump administration had initially committed to funding.
Before the money arrived, Haley had been subsisting largely on black coffee. She immediately used the funds to purchase essential groceries like fruits, vegetables, chicken, cereal, rice, and milk, hoping to stretch them for two to three weeks.
Uncertainty about receiving the remaining $105 has led her to ration her current benefits.
Other states have also seen varied approaches. Nevada issued partial SNAP benefits on Wednesday, and Illinois began distributing partial benefits on Friday. Alaska’s state health department indicated that recipients could expect partial payments this week, with the remainder arriving next week.
Kim Goldsby, a 66-year-old disabled SNAP recipient in Washington and a cancer survivor, was pleasantly surprised on Friday morning to find her full monthly allocation of $224 on her electronic benefits card. Her benefits had been delayed since Monday, her usual renewal date.
Despite the funds now being in her account, the recent chaos has left her with lingering anxieties. “Tomorrow it may be gone.
Who knows? That’s something I have a little angst about – not just for myself, but for others,” she expressed, highlighting the ongoing uncertainty many recipients face.
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services did not respond to requests for comment regarding the situation.