On a rainy Saturday morning at the end of November, a line of people snakes around the United Muslim Masjid in Point Breeze, South Philadelphia. They are waiting for food at one of the many food drives that the Masjid has been organizing for over a decade, but today organizers say it has a new sense of urgency.
“Since SNAP benefits were cut, more people have been coming out, more people have been in need, and more people have been open to asking for help. That’s what we’re here for,” Hanif Taylor, a community member who volunteers at UMM said.
SNAP benefits were paused in early November as a result of the government shutdown, but have been restored as of November 12, 2025. Still, many enrollees are at risk of permanently losing their food stamps…