The Trump administration’s push to rein in food stamp spending during the ongoing shutdown has sparked a surge of demand at food banks nationwide, with millions of Americans unsure how they’ll afford groceries this month.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were halted on Nov. 1 for the first time in the program’s history.
Roughly 42 million Americans, or one in eight households, were left without assistance.
The Trump administration sought to reduce November’s SNAP costs to 65% using contingency funds.
A federal judge in Rhode Island, Jack McConnell, ordered the government to fully fund benefits by using agricultural reserves, calling the move essential to protect food security.
The administration appealed the ruling, arguing that courts have no authority to allocate funds.
On Friday, the Supreme Court temporarily blocked McConnell’s order, allowing the White House more time to make its case, per the Daily Mail.
With full benefits now uncertain, partial payments promised by the USDA have yet to reach most recipients, leaving families nationwide scrambling.
Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief network, reported a sixfold increase in traffic to its food-bank locator, with more than 28,000 daily visitors searching for help.
Monica Lopez Gonzales of Feeding America described the crisis as “catastrophic.” She told Fortune, “Right now, 42 million people are having a hard time affording groceries, and their lives are being disrupted because their benefits have been disrupted.”
Food banks across the country are facing longer lines and empty shelves. Gonzales said, “The lines are getting longer, and the food is running out early. We see veterans, older adults, moms, and kids — everyone is stressed.”
In New York City, the impact has been severe. Jilly Stephens, CEO of City Harvest, told the Daily Mail, “SNAP is a critical lifeline for 1.8 million New Yorkers, and the lapse in funding has left many of our neighbors wondering how they will feed their families.”
City Harvest, which supplies food to 400 soup kitchens and pantries, has seen a surge in requests.
The organization distributed over 40,000 pounds of additional food to 15 pantries this week and plans to deliver up to 150,000 pounds next week.
Stephens said the nonprofit expects to distribute more than 1 million additional pounds of food this November compared to last year.
She warned that the effort is only sustainable with help from the public through donations and volunteer work.
The group has also set up pop-up distributions for federal workers who have been going weeks without pay.
Many are seeking food assistance for the first time.
Surveys show 83% of affected households are skipping meals or buying less food, while 85% are switching to cheaper, less nutritious options.
Nearly 50 million Americans were already struggling with hunger before the shutdown, including 14 million children.
Gonzales said SNAP is the nation’s first line of defense against hunger. She added that “when it’s disrupted, every other part of the safety net shakes.”
