The White House has tried to make the shutdown painless for most Americans.
But a world of pain is about to start.
A number of states have announced that they’ll begin shutting down SNAP and other benefits due to the government shutdown, cutting off key safety nets for families in need.
Around 41 million Americans use SNAP benefits to purchase food. This should be a major pressure point in the now 23-day government shutdown.
Broken down. California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom announced this week that CalFresh, which provides food benefits to 5.5 million Americans, would run out of money if the shutdown continued past today.
In Texas, the state government announced that the 3.4 million people who get SNAP in the state won’t receive it if the shutdown continues past Oct. 27.
The Alaska Department of Health announced that the federal government “has directed states to stop the issuance of … SNAP benefits for the month of November due to insufficient funds. This means that Alaskans may not receive SNAP benefits for November, even if they are authorized to receive them.” More than 66,000 Alaskans — 8% of the state’s population — receive SNAP benefits.
The New York Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance said that the applications for the Home Energy Assistance Program are “delayed until further notice.” SNAP “could be delayed” if the shutdown continues into November. Nearly 3 million New Yorkers receive SNAP.
In Pennsylvania, the state government said that “because Republicans in Washington D.C., failed to pass a federal budget, causing the federal government shutdown, November 2025 SNAP benefits cannot be paid. Starting October 16, SNAP benefits will not be paid until the federal government shutdown ends and funds are released to PA.”
Washington State, which has 905,000 SNAP recipients, warned that food benefits will halt Oct. 31.
In Colorado, the Department of Human Services said the state “is unable to issue the approximately $120 million of November SNAP benefits to clients until the federal government restores funding.” Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, is asking the state legislature for $10 million for food banks to try to make up for the shortfall. Colorado has 614,000 residents on SNAP.
Arkansas, which has 239,748 residents on SNAP, announced Wednesday that beneficiaries “should prepare for a possible delay or disruption in November benefits if the federal government shutdown continues into next month.”
