LOCALIZE IT: SNAP benefits could begin running dry Saturday. Find benefit details for your county
EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS:
Federal funds could begin running dry Saturday that help tens of millions of Americans to buy food for their families and send their toddlers to preschool if Congress doesn’t reach a deal by then to end the U.S. government shutdown.
Funding for another program that helps mothers care for their newborns could run out the following week.
Barring a resolution to the shutdown, the U.S. will have a gaping hole in its safety net, particularly for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries.
The Trump administration said Friday that it won’t use a roughly $5 billion contingency fund to keep food aid flowing in November in the government shutdown, but a new lawsuit by Democratic state officials Tuesday seeks to uncork the emergency money — enough to pay for the benefits for more than half a month — or another larger fund.
The administration has also said states temporarily covering the cost of food assistance benefits next month will not be reimbursed.
Even some states that want to step in to fill the gap have found they can’t.
Funding for a group of Head Start preschool programs and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, also could run out soon.
The Trump administration is blaming Democrats, who say they will not agree to reopen the government until Republicans negotiate with them on extending expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans say Democrats must first agree to reopen the government before negotiation.
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READ SOME OF AP’S LATEST COVERAGE
What to know as federal food help and preschool aid will run dry Saturday if shutdown persists
Food banks are preparing for a surge as federal food aid could be paused in the government shutdown
Pressure builds on Congress to end the shutdown, but a quick breakthrough appears unlikely
Federal food benefits and preschool aid to run dry starting Saturday if shutdown continues
AP Newsroom – Government Shutdown hub
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FIND YOUR COUNTY: PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLDS USING SNAP BENEFITS
Use this AP map, made with U.S. Census data, to view the percentage of households in your county that use SNAP benefits. Approximately 12% of U.S. households, or one in eight, could feel the effects of an abrupt pause to federal food assistance programs like SNAP if a deal to reopen the government is not reached before Nov. 1.
The map also shows the number of households in each county, the percentage of households in poverty and the median household income.
An embed code for this map can be found the end of the guide.
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FIND YOUR STATE: WHO IS PARTICIPATING IN THE FEDERAL LAWSUIT?
Tuesday’s legal filing from attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia, plus three governors, focuses on a federal contingency fund with roughly $5 billion in it – enough to pay for the benefits for more than half a month.
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas (Gov. Laura Kelly), Kentucky (Gov. Andy Beshear), Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania (Gov. Josh Shapiro), Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
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FIND YOUR STATE: OFFICIALS RESPOND
State governments controlled by both Democrats and Republicans are scrambling to help recipients. But several say they don’t have the technical ability to fund the regular benefits.
Included here are responses and tentative plans from some states. For states that have announced plans to increase food bank funding, some may require legislative approval.
Note: This is a dynamic situation. For the latest updates, confirm with your state officials.
ALASKA: State officials said they are looking into backfilling SNAP funds, but don’t yet have a way to do it.
ARKANSAS: The state is advising recipients to identify food pantries and other groups that might be able to help, and to ask friends and family for aid. It’s unclear whether any benefits left on recipients EBT cards on Nov. 1 will be available to use. Arkansas officials suggest people who have balances on their cards to use it this month on shelf-stable foods.
CALIFORNIA: Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, said he would deploy the National Guard to help food banks and that the state would use $80 million to help food banks. “This is serious, this is urgent – and requires immediate action,” he said. The state also announced plans to increase food bank funding.
CONNECTICUT has announced plans to increase food bank funding.
FLORIDA: The state’s Democratic legislative delegation is calling on Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare a state of emergency to free up state funding to help fill the shelves of local food banks.
LOUISIANA: Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, said he was making it a top priority to make sure “seniors, individuals with disabilities, and children who rely on food stamps do not go hungry in Louisiana,” but he has also not detailed how.
MINNESOTA has announced plans to increase food bank funding.
MISSOURI officials expect previous benefits will remain accessible and are telling beneficiaries to save for November if they can.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: State officials announced a plan to increase access to food through food banks and mobile pantries. It would require approval of a legislative committee in the GOP-controlled state.
NEW MEXICO: New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, said her state would expedite $8 million that had been allocated for food banks. State officials have also said they are looking into backfilling SNAP funds, but don’t yet have a way to do it.
NEW YORK: Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, said she is fast tracking $30 million in emergency food assistance funds to “help keep food pantries stocked.”
NORTH DAKOTA: State officials have also said they are looking into backfilling SNAP funds, but don’t yet have a way to do it.
OKLAHOMA is encouraging people who receive benefits to visit a state website that connects people with nonprofits, faith-based groups, Native American tribes and others that may be able to help with food.
PENNYSLVANIA: In Pennsylvania, where a budget stalemate has held up more than $25 million in aid to food banks, Democratic lawmakers are pushing for $60 million in emergency aid for food banks and meals on wheels programs.
RHODE ISLAND: Gov. Dan McKee on Tuesday announced the state would redirect $6 million in reserves from a federal welfare program for families with children to help assist a portion of the state’s SNAP recipients.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Republican Gov. Henry McMaster announced Tuesday that the state is opening a nonprofit fund typically used for disasters to give grants to food banks. But the fund is empty and will need immediate donations. Last year, it raised $6 million for Hurricane Helene relief. Each month, more than $100 million in SNAP benefits are delivered in South Carolina. South Carolina has announced plans to use the State Guard to help food banks.
VERMONT: Lawmakers said last week they intend to have the state cover both the food aid and heating fuel assistance that’s at risk, though details for how backfilling SNAP aid will work have not been announced.
VIRGINIA: Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, has declared a state of emergency to provide food benefits to SNAP beneficiaries. Virginia is one of a few states that has announced plans to backfill SNAP with state money, though details on the state of emergency or how the backfill would work have not been provided.
WEST VIRGINIA has announced plans to increase food bank funding through matching up to $13 million as part of a donation drive and use the National Guard to help food banks.
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FOOD BANKS FEEL THE INCREASED DEMAND
Food banks and pantries were already struggling after federal program cuts this year, but now they’re bracing for a tsunami of hungry people if a pause in federal food aid to low-income people kicks in this weekend as the federal government shutdown persists.
Food pantries provide about 1 meal to every 9 provided by SNAP, according to Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks. They get the food they distribute through donations from people, businesses and some farmers. They also get food from U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and sometimes buy food with contributions and grant funding.
Increased demand is a concern shared by charitable food providers across the country as states prepare for lower-income families to see their SNAP benefits dry up. SNAP helps 40 million Americans, or about 1 in 8, buy groceries. The debit cards they use to buy groceries at participating stores and farmers markets are normally loaded each month by the federal government.
Charities have seen growing demand since the COVID-19 pandemic and the following inflation spike, and they took a hit earlier this year when the Trump administration ended programs that had provided more than $1 billion for schools and food banks to fight hunger.
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CONSIDER THESE REPORTING THREADS
— Use this map (also linked above) to look at the percentage of households in your county that use SNAP. Take that percentage into account when interviewing food banks, grocery stores and nonprofits that help low income community members.
— Check in with food banks in your area. Are they preparing for a surge in demand? Are they experiencing one already? Ask if they have experienced any recent loss of funding. Some food banks have been strained already because of previous program cuts. Have they begun asking for community donations? What’s the response been so far?
— Find households who are SNAP recipients to interview. Food banks and pantries might be willing to connect reporters with beneficiaries.
— Some states have announced plans for increased funding for food banks including California, California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Contact state officials and find out when and how that money will be distributed. Plans in some states require legislative approval. If that applies to your state, try and get a sense of the timeline. Connect with food banks — have they heard when those funds might be distributed? How much do your local food banks expect to receive? What is their process for spending additional state funds or community donations to stock their food bank quickly/effectively? If multiple food banks in your area rely on certain food distributors or businesses, consider interviewing them.
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SEE THIS PREVIOUS LOCALIZE IT GUIDE ON HEAD START CUTS
LOCALIZE IT: Head Start centers are weighing how long they can run without federal funds
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READ ADDITIONAL AP COVERAGE
Trump administration posts notice that no federal food aid will go out Nov. 1
Shutdowns began as a way to enforce federal law. Now Trump is using it to take more power
States worry about how to fill the gap in food aid ahead of a federal benefits halt
Trump administration won’t tap contingency fund to keep food aid flowing, memo says
Government shutdown imperils dozens of Head Start preschool programs
WIC food program receives $300M to keep running during government shutdown
Government shutdown threatens WIC food aid program
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EMBED THIS MAP
The U.S. is entering a pivotal week in the government shutdown that could cause an abrupt end to federal food assistance, early education and other benefits for tens of million of Americans if a deal is not reached. The following digital embed visualizes the percentage of U.S. households in each county that receive SNAP food assistance benefits and also shows inside of each county tooltip, households who live below the poverty line, the total number of all households in each county and the median household income. This map is current as of Oct. 27, 2025 and will not update. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates
To embed, insert this code into your CMS:
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Localize It is a resource produced regularly by The Associated Press for its customers’ use. Questions can be directed to the Local News Success team at localizeit@ap.org. View guides published in the last 30 days here.
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This guide has been updated to show that South Carolina is using the State Guard, not the National Guard, to help food banks.
