FL SNAP Benefits Won't Go Out In November, Officials Confirm

Florida residents who receive federal food aid won’t get their November benefits as the ongoing federal shutdown continues, the Department of Agriculture has announced.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture posted a notice on its website after the Trump administration said it would not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, flowing into November.

That program helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries.

“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the USDA notice says. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued on November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats.”

Nationally, more than 62 percent of nearly 41.7 million SNAP participants are in families with children; 37 percent are in families with members who are older adults or disabled; and more than 38 percent are in working families, according to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The analysis of USDA Food and Nutrition Service data by the non-partisan research group that focuses on federal and state policies to reduce poverty and inequality also shows that 2,969,000 Florida residents receive SNAP assistance. That’s 13 percent of the state population (1 in 8) who depend on benefits to keep food on the table.

According to the data, more than 59% of SNAP participants in Florida are in families with children; more than 41% are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled; and more than 37% are in working families.

Many Florida households struggle to put food on the table, the center said. The most recent data show in 2023:

• 12.0% of households were “food insecure,” meaning that their access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources.
• 12.3% of the population lived below the poverty line.
• 15.7% of children lived in families below the poverty line.
• 12.1% of older adults lived below the poverty line.

SNAP reaches populations in need: 77% of eligible individuals participated in SNAP in Virginia in pre-pandemic 2020.

The center said SNAP lifted 104,000 people above the poverty line in Virginia, including 42,000 children, per year between 2015 and 2019, on average. (These figures adjust for households’ underreporting of benefits.)

The shutdown, which began Oct. 1, is now the second-longest on record. While the Republican administration took steps leading up to the shutdown to ensure SNAP benefits were paid this month, the cutoff would expand the impact of the impasse to a wider swath of Americans — and some of those most in need — unless a political resolution is found in just a few days.

The prospect of families not receiving food aid has deeply concerned states run by both parties.

Officials in Louisiana, Vermont and Virginia pledged to keep food aid flowing to recipients in their states, even if the federal program is stalled next month because of the government shutdown.

Other states’ attempts to use their own funds to support the program have faced technical hurdles, and it's uncertain if the three new plans can overcome these.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat representing Florida's 25th District, said on X Monday: "Trump is choosing not to give food aid to 42 million low-income families, despite having funds set aside for it. If Republicans refuse to reopen the government, Trump must act. There's clear steps they can and must take to ensure families have food on their table next month."

Sen. Rick Scott, a Republican, blamed Democratic Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer for the looming hardship.

Scott tweeted: "Democrats are harming American families after refusing to reopen our government TWELVE TIMES, putting crucial benefits for moms, babies, and our nation’s most vulnerable at risk. This is reckless. The Schumer Shutdown must end!"

Democratic Rep. Kathy Castor of Tampa posted on Friday: "We are going on 40 days of House Republicans cancelling all legislative business. 40 days of no votes, no committee hearings, no meetings - nothing. Now you'll pay more for your health care and food assistance is at risk all due the House Republican Vacation."

The Associated Press contributed reporting.