This morning, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments, suspended Saturday, Nov. 1st, could restart as early as Wednesday, Nov. 5, after two federal judges directed the Trump Administration to utilize a contingency reserve fund designed to temporarily maintain the food relief program in an emergency.
SNAP costs roughly $8 billion each month to benefit the more than 40 million low-income Americans who rely on it – overwhelmingly children, working adults earning low wages, seniors, and people with disabilities – the groups most economically vulnerable to poverty.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture currently has about $5 billion in its reserve fund. That means even if the reserve is tapped and if the government-shutdown situation is not resolved, the reserve would only cover around half a month’s worth of benefits before funds run out.
In Massachusetts, about 1.11 million residents rely on SNAP each month – any delay in benefits threatens food access and heightens pressure on food-pantries like ours. The state issues SNAP benefits on a rolling schedule over the first 14 days of each month. If funding resumes this Wednesday, roughly 300,000 people statewide will already be impacted by the withholding of payments.
Each Massachusetts household receives, on average, $329 in SNAP benefits per month. The funds are automatically loaded onto an EBT card (similar to a debit card). The cards can be used at any USDA-approved retail store, including most major grocery stores, convenience stores and even some farmers’ markets. The SNAP benefit is often insufficient to meet the needs of families – and this is why they rely on food pantries to make up the difference.
Probably in anticipation of a pause in SNAP payments, we saw a 1/3 surge increase in numbers of people served this past week. We don’t expect these numbers to abate anytime soon.
How can you help?
We are fortunate to live in a compassionate community that has stepped up with cash and food donations and offers to conduct food drives. While food donations are always appreciated, we encourage cash donations which deliver more bang for the buck, since we can purchase many of the same products available at local supermarkets at a discounted bulk rate from the Greater Boston Food Bank.
For example, a 10 oz can of Campbell’s Chicken & Rice Soup 10.5 costs us $.86 vs. $2.49 (store); a 32 oz box of shelf-stable milk costs us $1.51 vs. $3.49 (store); a 15 oz can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew costs us $1.44 vs. $3.99 (store). Greater Boston Food Bank purchases also require fewer volunteer hours to process, date-check and move into storage.
However you can help is greatly appreciated. However you choose to assist, remember, we are a 100% volunteer organization and your contributions will directly benefit members of our community.