Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity holds a news conference in her office on October 29, 2025. (Photo by Tom Riese/WESA)
This the story was originally published by WESA.
Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity says she wants to lend money to the state to help it cover November food stamps for nearly 2 million residents who expect to lose support during the federal government shutdown. However, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office says the proposal would be unworkable due to Trump administration policies.
The proposal would require Shapiro — whom Garrity will likely run against in next year’s gubernatorial election — to accept a loan from his office at a time when Democrats and Republicans are at odds at the state and federal levels. Garrity, however, maintains that such partisan considerations should not come into play.
“While we may differ in our perception of the cause or blame for the federal government shutdown, I believe we can work together on a solution that will alleviate the impact here in Pennsylvania,” Garrity said in a Wednesday letter proposing a solution to Shapiro.
Approximately 15% of statewide residents – incl over 160,000 Allegheny County residents — Are enrolled in the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program.
Under Garrity’s proposal, the state treasury would loan $368 million to the state Department of Human Services, which administers SNAP. The department then sent the money to the state’s electronic benefits contractor, which transferred it to the debit cards of people enrolled on food stamps.
“This solution helps ensure that vulnerable Pennsylvanians who rely on SNAP can be assured that their families will not go hungry in a time of financial uncertainty,” Garrity’s letter continues.
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Garrity said she sent a letter to Shapiro’s office Wednesday morning but had not spoken to the governor until the news conference she held that afternoon. Harrisburg Democrats do defendant Garrity grant other loans during the state budget delay in order to strengthen his campaign. But she told reporters on Wednesday that the loan offer was not a ploy to score political points in next year’s race.
“I’m just trying to do my job. I think it’s my responsibility to help the people of Pennsylvania,” Garrity said. “If I was playing politics, I would probably sit back and let everyone continue to fight, but I believe we should always put Pennsylvanians above politics.”
Some states cover the cost of missing SNAP funds without borrowing money from yourself. In Louisiana, Gov. Jeff Landry ordered to the state health department to cover missed payments. But without a state budget, Pennsylvania finds itself in a unique situation. (On Tuesday, State Senate Democrats proposed offered $50 million to food banks while the budget is still being developed.)
In a statement, Shapiro’s office said he has already taken steps to protect food stamps joined a multi-state federal lawsuit on Tuesday to demand that the federal government continue to pay for food aid. A spokesman for Shapiro said Garrity’s proposal is “unworkable” because even after the federal shutdown ends, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will not refund money used to cover missing benefits.
“Governor Shapiro is deeply concerned about the 22 million Pennsylvanians who will lose access to critical federal food assistance if the federal shutdown continues last Saturday,” spokeswoman Rosie Lapowsky said. “That’s why he took legal action yesterday to require USDA to use billions in available congressionally appropriated emergency funds to pay for November SNAP benefits.”
Delays in SNAP payments will starve Pa.’s food economy
“USDA has publicly stated that states will not be reimbursed for any amounts spent on benefit costs,” she added, pointing to recent note from the department of agriculture. “Governor Shapiro will not jeopardize the Commonwealth’s fiscal health because Republicans in Congress cannot pass a budget.”
Garrity’s proposal is similar to a program she implemented last month help social service agencies who are missing almost four months of payments due to the state budget impasse.
As of this week, 48 organizations had received loans totaling $21.3 million through the program, and at least four counties had applied for aid, according to the treasurer’s office. (A spokesman said he would not release the names of counties until their applications are approved.) Most of the beneficiaries are early childhood education programs, but a network of nearly 50 rape crisis centers also received loans.
Megan McConahy, executive director of AWARE, which runs domestic violence and rape crisis centers in Mercer County, said the loan from the state treasury will keep it open through November. The Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect, a statewide alliance of crisis centers, borrowed $3 million to distribute to its members and agreed to take over the interest payments.
“It was such a blessing for us,” McConahy said.
Like the Treasury’s “budget bridge” program, accepting a loan to cover SNAP payments would carry interest, although Garrity said she hoped lawmakers would approve a measure that would make it interest-free. It passed the GOP-controlled Senate earlier this month draft law on interest waiver regarding treasury loans for early childhood education institutions and crisis centers for rape victims. It has not yet been considered by the Democrat-led House Appropriations Committee.
Garrity said there is enough money available to cover additional months of SNAP payments if the federal suspension lasts through December.
But she added: “We would hope we would only need it for a month.”
