Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been halted for November amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, leaving millions of Americans and thousands of Mainers facing uncertainty about their food assistance.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has notified states that November SNAP funding will not be issued at this time.
Nationwide, about 42 million individuals receive SNAP benefits. In Maine, 169,812 people, nearly 12.5% of the state’s population, rely on the program for at least some part of their food needs. Certain counties, including Androscoggin, Aroostook, Piscataquis, Somerset and Washington, approach or exceed 20 percent participation.
Nearly three-quarters of Maine’s SNAP households include at least one working adult. More than half include a person with a disability, 43 percent include an older adult and more than one-third include children. The average monthly benefit for a family of four in Maine is $572.
“The federal SNAP program helps support food security, improve health outcomes and strengthen Maine’s economy,” said Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Sara Gagné-Holmes. “For tens of thousands of Maine people, these benefits mean the ability to put food on the table. A disruption of this scale will also impact Maine’s food pantries, which are vital partners in helping communities meet basic needs, as well as retailers. We are monitoring developments closely and will continue to assess the full impact.”
Dwayne Hopkins, executive director of the South Portland Food Cupboard, said the pause in SNAP benefits will have a huge impact on recipients.
“As the weather gets colder, people are going to have to choose between heat or food,” Hopkins said. “They will be forced to choose between healthy food or non-nutritious filler food.“
