Cuts to SNAP Benefits

One in eight Americans relies on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, allowing millions of low-income households to afford groceries through an electronic benefits transfer, or EBT card. Formally known as Food Stamps, SNAP is the largest anti-hunger program in the United States and is funded federally but largely administered by States themselves. Almost 2 million people in Pennsylvania rely on SNAP benefits, including 472,000 in Philadelphia. According to the USDA’s Economic Research Center, PA’s economy grows $1.54 for every dollar issued in SNAP.

However, in the midst of a government shutdown beginning last October, the Trump administration suspended  SNAP benefits as a means to further pressure Democrats to reopen the government. The decision sparked a lawsuit from two dozen states, signed by multiple officials, including Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. The government went along with rulings saying that it must provide at least partial funding to SNAP, yet full payments continued to be delayed due to various Supreme Court orders tackling the issue. As a result, Philadelphia mayor Cherelle Parker launched the “One Philly (SNAP) Support Plan,” allocating $7 million to Philadelphia residents in need of support. Funds went to food distribution partners, rent and utility relief, and support for small businesses, all of which contribute to the continuing persistence and unity of Philadelphian citizens.

The government is now set to reopen; however, a timeline for SNAP benefits nationwide remains uncertain for the time being. A spokesperson for the US Department of Agriculture has claimed that funds could become available as soon as 24 hours after the reopening, yet many aspects remain unclear, including where and when some payments will take place. Beneficiaries in some states have already received their full monthly allocations, while others have yet to receive any SNAP benefits at all as of November 13. States that have already loaded partial payments to E.B.T. cards may face drastic technical difficulties that could complicate the remaining allotments. 

That being said, it seems that Pennsylvanian citizens got lucky in terms of full SNAP payments. According to the PA Department of Human Services, recipients should see funds by the end of the week following the government reopening. Food banks and food pantries sustained efforts to provide Pennsylvanians with the resources they needed to make it past the weeks when SNAP benefits were not available. Donating or volunteering with local and state organizations can help to get necessary resources to the almost ⅓ of Philadelphians who rely on payments that were unavailable to them for far longer than they should have been. As federal options resume and SNAP benefits stabilize, continued support and vigilance are crucial to ensure every household has access to the food security it deserves.