(UNITED STATES) SNAP benefits for millions of households will stop on November 1 unless Congress ends the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said, warning that families who depend on the program for groceries will not receive November benefits without restored funding. October assistance was distributed as scheduled, but the agency said there is no money left to cover the next month as the shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, drags into its fifth week.
The USDA, which administers the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, posted a blunt notice on its website:
“Bottom line, the well has run dry… At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01.”
The department said contingency funds that might have cushioned the blow were already tapped for disaster relief and are not available for regular program operations during the federal government shutdown. With the shutdown now the second-longest on record, the warning signals a hard stop to November benefits unless lawmakers reach a deal.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged immediate talks to break the stalemate, highlighting the risk to families who rely on SNAP benefits to buy food.
“There is an urgent need to reopen the government, which is why we continue to demand that Republicans sit at the negotiating table so we can enact a spending agreement that’s bipartisan in nature,” he said.
His call underscores mounting pressure on Congress as governors, food banks and state human services agencies brace for a cutoff that would ripple across communities nationwide.
SNAP supports about 1 in 8 Americans, a share that includes refugees and immigrants alongside senior citizens, people with disabilities, single parents and low-wage workers. For these households, the program is a monthly lifeline; the loss of November benefits would force families to stretch dwindling food budgets, skip meals and turn to charities already running at capacity. State officials in several regions have begun advising recipients to locate local food pantries and ask schools about meal supports ahead of the expected gap, an early sign of the scramble to fill what could be a sudden shortfall.
The USDA’s alert follows days of uncertainty as agencies tallied what could continue without appropriations. In past shutdowns, Congress or the administration sometimes found temporary ways to keep nutrition assistance flowing. This time, the department’s statement leaves little room for ambiguity: without a funding bill, the payment cycle that normally loads benefits onto electronic cards in early November will not run. That means grocery purchases many families make in the first week of the month would stall, pushing more people to emergency food lines.
Officials stressed that October SNAP benefits were delivered on time and in full. Some states have tried to answer a flood of questions about the November benefits schedule through call centers and online notices. The Florida Department of Children and Families, which oversees SNAP in the state, said it is monitoring the situation closely while awaiting further federal guidance. Similar messages have appeared from county social services offices across the country, many directing residents to community resources and urging them to conserve food where possible if they are able.
For refugee and immigrant families who are lawfully present and eligible for assistance, the uncertainty adds to the challenges of settling into new communities, especially for those still learning how to navigate local services. Advocacy groups warn that newer arrivals often have less cushion—no long-term savings, limited access to credit and few social networks to lean on—making a missed month of support especially hard. While detailed individual stories were not included in official notices, agencies emphasized that the effects would hit people who already budget with precision, down to the last dollar of their monthly benefits.
Food banks are preparing for a surge. Many saw demand rise in October as prices for essentials remained high, and they anticipate a wave of first-time visitors if SNAP benefits do not arrive in early November. Community volunteers say they are planning longer hours, but they also caution that donated supplies cannot replace the scale of a national program that serves tens of millions of people. Pantry managers in several states said they are working with local schools to coordinate weekend meal packs for children who would feel the loss most acutely at the start of the month.
The mechanics of the shutdown have left little room for improvisation. In its notice, the USDA cited the exhaustion of contingency funding after recent disaster responses, reiterating that there is no separate pool of money for regular benefit issuance during a lapse in appropriations. The department’s warning signals that even administrative functions—like transmitting data to states and authorizing electronic benefit transfers—cannot proceed without a spending bill. State agencies, while responsible for enrollment and eligibility, cannot pay out benefits that are not authorized at the federal level.
Political negotiations in Washington remain fluid, but the calendar is not forgiving. Benefit cycles vary by state, with some issuing at the start of the month and others spreading deposits across several days. The earliest issuance windows would be the first to hit the wall if Congress does not act. That timing matters for families who plan their grocery trips around benefit availability and for retailers who stock fresh items in anticipation of the monthly rush. Supermarkets in low-income neighborhoods, where a large share of shoppers use SNAP benefits, could see immediate drops in sales if the November benefits do not arrive.
In neighborhoods where refugees and immigrants have settled, local service providers say they will translate official notices into multiple languages and organize information sessions to prevent panic buying and confusion. Advisers are warning families not to rely on rumors and to check official channels for updates about SNAP benefits. The USDA directed the public to program information and state contacts on the USDA SNAP program page, and urged recipients to follow their state agencies for any program-specific announcements.
The shutdown’s start on October 1, 2025 set off a cascade of closures and slowdowns across federal agencies. Nutritional assistance was one of the biggest question marks, given its scale and the way monthly benefits sustain households between paychecks and other supports. With the shutdown now the second-longest on record, the possibility of an extended interruption has forced states to sketch out contingency plans. Some officials have quietly discussed whether, and how, they might cover limited costs temporarily, though any such steps would be narrow and cannot replace full federal funding.
Retailers are also watching the calendar. Grocery stores that serve high volumes of SNAP shoppers plan inventories and staffing around benefit issuance days. A missed month can mean unsold produce, reduced orders from distributors and cut worker hours. Industry groups have warned in past disruptions that volatility in SNAP benefits does not just affect families; it jolts supply chains that depend on stable demand. The same pressure would be felt in November if benefits do not arrive, with small stores facing the tightest margins at risk of losing critical revenue.
Behind the numbers are households that rely on predictability. Parents time bulk purchases to the day benefits load, stretching items like rice, beans, tortillas and frozen vegetables across the month. Seniors on fixed incomes often use SNAP benefits to supplement meals when other costs—rent, heating, medicine—spike. Refugees and immigrants enrolled in the program rely on it to build stability during their first months, when work hours can be irregular and paychecks small. The loss of November benefits could force trade-offs that health workers have long warned about: smaller portions, skipped meals and cheaper, less nutritious food.
Lawmakers face growing pressure from governors of both parties whose agencies must handle the fallout on the ground. The search for a bipartisan path has narrowed to basic questions of duration and spending levels, even as the shutdown’s collateral damage mounts. Jeffries’ appeal for a cross-party deal captured the urgency as agencies warned of compounding effects with each passing day.
“There is an urgent need to reopen the government, which is why we continue to demand that Republicans sit at the negotiating table so we can enact a spending agreement that’s bipartisan in nature,” he said,
repeating his call as the USDA confirmed that November’s SNAP benefits will not be issued without action.
For now, the message from officials is stark. Households received their October assistance, but there will be no November benefits unless the shutdown ends. States are urging families to identify nearby food pantries and check with schools about meal programs. The USDA’s notice—”Bottom line, the well has run dry… At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01″—aims to leave no doubt about the stakes as Congress debates the way forward. Each day without a deal brings the country closer to a cliff that millions of kitchens will feel immediately when the first week of November arrives.
The coming days will determine whether families can shop as usual next week or whether the month begins with bare fridges and longer lines at community centers. If Congress restores funding, states can resume normal operations and load November benefits, averting a broader food crisis. If not, the shutdown’s most visible human cost may be measured in canceled grocery trips and quiet dining tables, as one of America’s largest anti-hunger programs grinds to a halt until Washington turns the lights back on.
This Article in a Nutshell
The USDA announced November SNAP benefits will not be issued on November 1, 2025, unless Congress ends the federal shutdown that began October 1. October payments were made, but contingency funds have been spent on disaster relief, leaving no federal money for routine SNAP operations. The program supports about one in eight Americans; states, food banks and schools are preparing for increased demand and advising recipients to seek local pantries and meal programs. Lawmakers face pressure to pass a bipartisan spending deal to avert a national shortfall.
