The federal government officially shut down when lawmakers failed to pass new funding bills in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act on October 1. At 35 days and counting, the government shutdown has officially tied the record for the longest in history. While we don’t know how long it will last, it’s already affected millions of U.S. residents in several ways.
According to a report from the Bipartisan Policy Center, 670,000 federal employees have been furloughed during the shutdown, and roughly 730,000 essential government workers (think TSA agents, Post Office employees, and DMV employees) are still working without pay. The shutdown has also affected the 42 million Americans who rely on federal food aid—like food stamps and EBT—through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as it abruptly stopped on November 1.
Though the Trump administration agreed to partially fund SNAP after a judge’s ruling on Monday, November 3, the U.S. Department of Agriculture only has $4.65 billion in SNAP contingency funds, which will be enough to cover a mere “50 percent of eligible households’ current allotments.” Even then, the USDA claims it may take “weeks or months” to receive benefits during the government shutdown, per NBC.
Here’s how you can safely help and provide food assistance to those affected by the government shutdown, including SNAP recipients.
Donate to local food banks.
If you’re willing and able to make any contributions, consider donating to your local food banks and community fridges. To find a specific bank in your area, enter your zip code on Feeding America’s website and go from there. The same goes for finding a fridge in your community—visit Fridge Finder to locate one, or start your own if your neighborhood doesn’t have one.
No contribution is too small, but keep in mind that certain food items may be accepted depending on the location.
Volunteer your time.
Aside from donating items to fridges and food banks, you can also donate your time and give back to your community. Once you track down your local banks on Feeding America, check volunteer calendars and reach out to the proper contacts to register and schedule a shift. Specific details may vary based on the organization.
Call your representatives.
Another way to help is to contact your representatives and ask them to pass a debt limit bill without further restricting SNAP. You can find a list of representatives and their contact info here, or you can dial 1-646-600-5023 to speak to them directly. Feeding America has even provided a script for your call, to make it easier:
My first name is [your first name]. As a constituent, I urge you to pass a “clean” debt limit bill without restricting SNAP. SNAP helps people facing hunger in our community afford food. Thank you.
Know what resources are available for those affected.
While federal government agencies confirmed they won’t issue SNAP benefits in November because of the shutdown, it’s important to keep in mind that each state will adjust to the shift differently.
Here’s a list of states that will use their respective government funding to continue providing SNAP benefits, per the Associated Press.
Increasing food bank funds
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachussetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Utah
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wyoming
Offering direct financial aid
- Delaware
- Louisiana
Increasing food bank funds and direct financial aid
- Hawaii
- Maryland
- New Mexico
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Virginia
Several retailers and delivery providers are also offering discounts amid the SNAP benefit crisis, including:
- DoorDash: Waiving delivery and service fees for 300,000 grocery orders in partnership with retailers like Sprouts, Dollar General, Stop & Shop, and Winn-Dixie; waiving merchant fees for food banks, pantries, and organizations; donating essentials to food banks
- Instacart: 50% off next grocery order; pledged $5 million in relief
- Gopuff: $50 in free groceries for SNAP recipients; donating up to $10 million in groceries
- Zip Co: No-fee payment plans for eligible users
Sam is an assistant news editor at Cosmo, covering all things pop culture, entertainment, and celebrity news. She previously covered those same topics along with health, lifestyle, and beauty at Seventeen. When she isn't catching a concert or live-tweeting awards shows, you can likely find her judging DJ sets at parties.
