As hours pass on possible funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced state-led action to support the Commonwealth’s Charitable Food Network and the two million Pennsylvanians who benefit from SNAP.
The moves come after the Trump administration declined to fund SNAP benefits in November amid the ongoing federal government shutdown and shortly before two federal judges ruled that the feds must fund the program.
Shapiro signed a disaster declaration to expedite the release of $5 million in state funds Feeding Pennsylvania for distribution through a network of food banks across the Community. The declaration will allow state resources to be depleted more quickly, streamline contracting and provide the governor with additional tools to address the damage caused by the federal government shutdown.
“Nearly two million Pennsylvanians rely on SNAP every month and they shouldn’t have to wonder where they’ll get their next meal because of the dysfunction in Washington,” Shapiro said. “Nothing will replace the federal government’s decision not to make SNAP benefits available, but my administration is increasing its efforts to use every tool at its disposal – state resources, private sector support and the compassion of our communities – to make sure our food banks are fully stocked and our families are fed. The federal government has money to feed people – they just don’t want to use it. In Pennsylvania, I will not allow our families or food banks to shoulder this burden alone, and I have no intention of standing idly by while the federal government allows residents “Pennsylvania starve.”
Feeding Pennsylvania is a statewide association of 10 Feeding America member food banks dedicated to reducing hunger and food insecurity across the Commonwealth. Its primary mission is to promote and lend a hand food bank members secure food and other resources, provide a collective voice on hunger issues, and advocate for policies that improve food access for all Pennsylvanians.
The food banks are located in Delmont, Duquesne, Erie, Exton, Harrisburg, Nazareth, Philadelphia, Pittston, Reading and Sharon.
There are six counties in the commonwealth where more than 20% of the total population is enrolled in SNAP: Philadelphia (30%), Fayette (23%), Luzerne (21%), Cameron (20%), Erie (20%), and Northumberland (20%).
In addition to state support, the voivode also launched, among others, private sector fundraising efforts to lend a hand food banks meet the expected raise in demand – more than $1 million has been raised to date for the SNAP Emergency Relief Fund thanks to contributions from Pennsylvania leaders, including Thomas Tullco-owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, entrepreneur and former elected official Connie Williamsbillionaire entrepreneur Marek Kubańczykand co-owners of the 76ers David AND Hallee Adelman.
Federal judges in two states – Rhode Island and Massachusetts – ordered the Trump administration to apply the emergency money to fund November food aid. Administration officials have not yet indicated whether they will appeal the ruling.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr.Obama appointee upheld the complaint of several cities and nonprofits that had sued the USDA over its decision not to apply emergency funds for food aid during the government shutdown. This move, the plaintiffs argued, “unnecessarily plunged SNAP into crisis.”
His order went further than Massachusetts’ order U.S. District Judge Indira Talwanialso an Obama appointee, who issued a near-simultaneous ruling Friday afternoon asking the Trump administration to decide by Monday whether it will voluntarily fund at least some SNAP benefits.
“Defendants are required to use these emergency funds as needed for SNAP purposes,” Talwani wrote, noting that USDA could draw from multiple funding sources to fully cover November benefits.
Trump officials have insisted they do not have the authority to tap the $5 billion emergency fund and do not have enough money to pay the nearly $8 billion needed for November SNAP benefits. on Friday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins declined to confirm whether it would comply with the court order to finance food aid.
“We are considering all options,” she told reporters.
President Donald Trump he blamed Democrats for the delay.
“All Democrats have to do is say, ‘Let’s go,'” he told reporters. “And you know, largely when you talk about SNAP, you’re talking mostly about Democrats, but I’m the president, I want to help everybody, I want to help Democrats and Republicans. But when you talk about SNAP, if you look at it’s mostly Democrats, they’re hurting their own citizens.”
Trump officials say that even with those rulings, they won’t be able to release emergency funds in time, meaning SNAP benefits will still expire on Saturday even if the White House decides to comply with the order. Obtaining SNAP benefits for low-income Americans will still take days, and in many cases weeks, especially since the administration has failed to stand up to the system since the shutdown began dissipating partial funding.
