PHILADELPHIA – The federal government announced earlier this week that it would not be issuing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Nov. 1 because of the ongoing government shutdown.
The program provides food benefits to low-income individuals and families. Millions of people in Pennsylvania rely on SNAP, including many houses with children, elderly residents or people with disabilities. The funding gap means those people will go without food assistance until the government reopens.
Here’s everything you need to know about the stopped payments, and what you can do in the meantime to either get assistance for yourself or help those in need.
Will SNAP benefits be issued in November?
What we know:
No. SNAP benefits are completely funded by the federal government. That means Americans won’t see benefits at least until the government opens, but officials don’t know exactly when payments will resume.
Pennsylvania stopped issuing payments on Oct. 16.
Once payments do resume, it’s not clear whether beneficiaries will receive back pay for the missed benefits, state officials said. That decision will be up to the federal government.
Can I still use my existing SNAP benefits?
Yes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said earlier this week that as long as you have funds on your EBT card, you can still use remaining benefits from previous months. SNAP benefits will remain on your EBT card as long as you use it at least once every nine months.
Other benefits affected by the government shutdown
The shutdown has also forced Pennsylvania to delay the start of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) season. This program helps people pay for their energy bills during the winter months, when heat is vital.
The 2025-2026 LIHEAP season was scheduled to start on Nov. 3, but that has been delayed because the state hasn’t yet gotten its allocation from the federal government.
Once they do, the Department of Human Services will start accepting applications.
Who benefits from SNAP?
By the numbers:
Roughly 42 million Americans rely on SNAP benefits to feed their families. In Pennsylvania, that number is just under 2 million, according to the state. That’s roughly one in every seven people in the state.
RELATED: SNAP benefits increase: here are the new amounts in Pennsylvania
The largest portion of Pennsylvanians relying on SNAP benefits is in Philadelphia. More than 475,000 people here are on SNAP benefits — about 30% of the population. In Delaware County, about 13% of residents benefit from SNAP, the third-highest rate in the state.
More than a third of Pennsylvania SNAP beneficiaries are children.
SUGGESTED: Here’s how to deal with the loss of SNAP benefits in NJ
Where to find food pantries
Local perspective:
PA-Navigate.org, where people can search for food assistance by ZIP code, including community gardens, food delivery, food pantries and more.
Feeding Pennsylvania offers a similar tool to help find food pantries in your area.
PA211.org also has a list of food resources across the state. Residents can also call 211 to talk to a representative to help them find assistance.
The Chester County Food Bank has a printable list of locations offering hot meals and those distributing food.
The Bucks County Opportunity Council has a list of food pantries in the area.
How to donate to food pantries
What you can do:
The state lists more than a dozen major organizations that help provide food to those in need on its website here.
Here are some ways to help in Southeastern Pennsylvania:
The Source: Information in this story is from the United States Department of Agriculture, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Feeding Pennsylvania and previous FOX 29 reports.
Food and DrinkPennsylvania
