‘We All Need Food:’ Sustained Government Shutdown Looms Over SNAP Benefits

As of Nov. 1 people who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP have lost partial benefits due to the government shutdown which began Oct. 1. Roughly 1.9 million Illinois residents receive SNAP benefits and are set to lose the assistance. 

Two federal judges told President Donald Trump SNAP benefits must continue despite the shutdown via government use of contingency funds. Even with the use of contingency funds, only partial benefits are set to be sent out and there is not a clear timeline surrounding when benefits will be released. 

Two federal judges ruled similarly the government must continue to fund SNAP through emergency funds. One judge added the resources could come from contingency funds or additional funds, according to the Associated Press. Both asked for updates from Congress by  Nov. 3.

At the time of publication, the latest development regarding SNAP benefits came with White House Press Secretary walking back language President Trump used in a social media post the morning of Nov. 4, the Associated Press reported. The emergency fund the government will tap into will fund about half of normal SNAP benefits.

Communications Manager at the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD) Camerin Mattson said even though she thinks the judges’ rulings are a positive change, it’s still likely people will go without money to buy food for some period of time. Due to the government still being shut and the Trump administration saying the release of benefits could take “anywhere from a few weeks to up to several months,” people are left without a lot of answers.

The government has been shut down since Oct. 1 due to lawmakers being unable to resolve a budget deadlock due to a partisan clash over funding. The longest government shutdown in American history lasted five weeks during Trump’s first term in 2018 and the current shutdown broke that record as of Nov. 5. If the lack of negotiation continues, people will go without access to nutrition for a prolonged period of time. 

Mattson said the GCFD is still in crisis mode, and they remain committed to making sure people who need food will have access to it as congress remains at an impasse over subsidies in the Affordable Care Act, according to the Associated Press. 

Democrats are continuing to hope negotiations with Republicans regarding subsidies can further. These subsidies started during the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2021 and are set to expire at the end of the year. While some Republicans seem to be on board, it’s difficult to tell if either side would budge into a compromise, especially with Trump blaming the entirety of the shutdown on the Democrats. 

Mattson said it’s important to realize every meal a food bank, like GCFD, is able to provide SNAP provides nine times as many due to participants being able to purchase their own food from grocery stores. 

The food-at-home consumer price index — products from grocery stores and the inflation on their prices — has increased 3.2% from August 2024 to August 2025. 

“Wages have not kept pace,” Mattson said. “Some households where there’s two working adults and still can’t make ends meet, they’re still having to make those gut wrenching decisions between. Do I pay for food or do I buy medicine? Do I pay for the gas bill or do these car repairs, all of these resources, SNAP benefits and food pantries, are necessary in order to help fill in the gaps.” 

One-in-four children in Cook County are at risk of hunger, and one-in-five homes in Chicago experience food insecurity. 15.2% of Illinois residents rely on SNAP benefits for basic nutrition, and 45% of those households include children. 44% include a person with a disability, according to the Chicago Food Bank. 

Uptown resident Zunny, 56, who opted not to share her last name for privacy reasons, said she suffers from an invisible illness which makes obtaining and holding a job extremely difficult. She relies not only on SNAP but also on food pantries for survival. 

“We all need food,” Zunny said. “I need nutrition. Sometimes I have had to go without food and medication. When these changes happen, I have to skip my dosage because I don’t know if it will be delivered.”

Beyond the impact on beneficiaries, SNAP generates 7.2 billion dollars in positive economic impact and approximately 9,277 food retailers accept SNAP in Illinois. The lack of participants spending their SNAP dollars means retailers will have a decreased amount of income for the month of November.

Director of Community Engagement at the GCFD Tyler Stratton said it’ll be a collective effort to help those who struggle with food insecurity during the shutdown. He said there’s a need to raise awareness, but also hopes people take action by joining an advocacy group, volunteering or reaching out to elected officials. 

Alderwoman Leni Manna-Hoppenworth (48th) said the possibility of losing SNAP benefits is a “terrible thing,” but lawmakers in Illinois are doing everything they can to help those who will be affected.

“Our offices should be seen as a sanctuary and place for resources, including how to get help when SNAP benefits are cut or what to do if you are no longer able to meet the work requirements,” Manna-Hoppenworth said. 

Mattson expressed disappointment in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for not making it more of a priority to find funding for SNAP for the month of November. He said the USDA’s contingency funds would be the most useful way to help millions of Americans from going hungry, and Mattson thinks there’s no better way to use that money.

“I rely on these resources,” Zunny said. “I am extremely grateful for the help they do give because I need sleep, medication and food because they all go together.” 

Despite a USDA contingency fund of $5 to $6 billion, the agency won’t use it for SNAP benefits, claiming a government shutdown is not a qualifying “unforeseen event.”

Illinois is one of 25 states which have decided to take action and sue the USDA over plans to pause SNAP benefits Nov. 1, according to Attorney General Kwame Raoul. The lawsuit alleges congress has enough appropriated contingency funds to cover SNAP benefits for at least the month of November. 

“At a time of increased costs for families, the Trump administration is making a deliberate, illegal and cruel decision to cut off access to food for nearly 2 million Illinoisans,” Raoul said in a statement.

Now that a federal judge from Rhode Island has ordered the use of the contingency fund, it still may not be enough given SNAP generally costs about $8 billion per month. This would mean people don’t get their full benefits. Furthermore, if the government shutdown lasts longer than November, people will lose their benefits altogether.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani said there are steps to find an “equitable way to reduce benefits.” Other Democrats have argued against Trump saying the funds not only can, but should be used and there are more funds that can be tapped into if needed, according to the Associated Press. 

Since the allocation of the contingency fund was ordered by a judge, it’s presumable that the Trump administration may not be cooperative in finding more funding. 

Mattson said the food insecurity crisis in Chicago hasn’t improved since before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Along with the inflation of grocery prices, she said the need for programs like SNAP has only increased.

“This heightened level of need is the new normal,” Mattson said.

The shutdown’s effect on SNAP benefits will affect roughly 41 million people nationwide.

Non-profits like the GCFD rely on advocates, volunteers and donors to run and keep people fed. Stratton said anything community members can do to spread awareness is needed right now.

“Food banks are not equipped or even designed to fill this big of a gap,” Stratton said. “We have a network of food pantries and programs, so it’s important for people to stay connected to those resources. Staying connected to community-based distribution is the best route for people in need.”