Currently, over ten states in the United States have fully distributed November’s “food stamp” benefits to residents, while some other states have accelerated the processing of the benefits after President Trump signed a bill to end the government shutdown.
The official name for these benefits is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. According to state government announcements, residents in Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin have already received their full SNAP benefits for this month.
After President Trump signed the appropriations bill on November 12, the federal government in the United States reopened this week, ending the weeks-long shutdown. The bill included full appropriations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is responsible for managing the SNAP benefits program in collaboration with states. The program provides subsidies to low-income families for purchasing groceries through debit cards.
Even before Trump signed the bill, some states had taken the opportunity to fully distribute November’s benefits after judges ordered the Agriculture Department to reallocate $4 billion in emergency funding to pay for the “food stamp” benefits.
With the government reopening, the remaining states have also pledged to expedite the full distribution of benefits to SNAP participants.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services stated that full payment of SNAP benefits would be processed by Friday morning of November 14. Officials in Pennsylvania noted that the benefits would be completed before the weekend. The Utah Department of Workforce Services promised that all benefits would be distributed no later than November 15. Vermont Governor Phil Scott also assured residents that they would receive their benefits by November 17 at the latest.
Officials in South Carolina stated that those scheduled to receive benefits from November 1 to 14 could use their benefit debit cards by Friday, while the remaining recipients would follow the normal monthly distribution dates.
The distribution date for “food stamp” benefits varies depending on several factors, such as when individuals join the program. The latest distribution date can be as late as the 28th of each month.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Agriculture told The Epoch Times via email on Thursday morning that most residents in the states would receive their full November benefits within 24 hours.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins also confirmed later on the 13th that full SNAP benefits would resume on November 17 (next Monday).
In a memorandum on the 13th, Deputy Agriculture Secretary Patrick Penn urged states to “take immediate action to ensure that families benefiting from this assistance receive their full November subsidy in a timely manner” and instructed that states continue to prepare for the full December benefit distribution.
There are still some states where the full distribution time for “food stamp” benefits is uncertain.
For example, the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration stated on Thursday that the agency is taking actions to ensure that SNAP recipients receive all benefits, but the specific distribution date for the additional funding is still being finalized.
Shannon Grotrian, Director of the Nebraska Economic Assistance Office, indicated in a statement that, “As the federal government resumes operations officially, we will distribute the remaining benefits as soon as final authorization is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.”