The end of the government shutdown means the federal program will be funded again, but some Americans may not immediately get the benefits they’re owed.
The looming end of the government shutdown means federal food assistance is being restored — but for some Americans, it could take days to get their funds.
Experts said it was unclear when millions of Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will receive benefits again because before now, the program’s funding has never been disrupted by a government shutdown.
About 1 in 8 Americans use SNAP, which disproportionately serves women, children, older Americans and disabled people. But the program’s funding has been in limbo over the past two weeks, a casualty of the national fight over funding the government, which led to the longest federal shutdown on record.
The House of Representatives is set to vote Wednesday evening on a Senate-backed bill that would reopen the government and fund SNAP through September 2026.
The impact of SNAP’s lapse has varied across states. In some, such as California and Massachusetts, governments have used their own money to continue fully funding the program. Other governments, such as in Texas, have partially funded SNAP, meaning beneficiaries have received a reduced amount of food aid. When SNAP is fully funded, beneficiaries receive about $6 per person per day.
“Even just these first 12 days of the month have shown how crucial of a support for low-income families these benefits are,” said Anna Gassman-Pines, a professor of public policy and psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. “Loss of benefits abruptly has led to things like parents skipping meals.”
How quickly people will receive those benefits will likely vary based on where they live and how quickly federal and state governments move to distribute money.
But at least some are prepared to move quickly, Gassman-Pine suggested, and provide funds as early as Friday.
“States are ready to pay out the benefits once they know the money is there from the federal government,” Gassman-Pines said. “I do think that once the funding is restored, we can expect that states will move as quickly as they can.”
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November 12, 2025