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Feeding PA Statement on the SNAP Payment Halt

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(updated 11/14/2025)
On Thursday, November 13, The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (PA DHS) began issuing full November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit payments to Pennsylvanians who have not yet received their full November benefits. PA DHS expects that all November SNAP benefits should be uploaded to EBT cards by the weekend (Saturday, November 15). SNAP recipients who usually receive their payments later in the month will receive them on the regular schedule. SNAP recipients can check their EBT card balance with the ConnectEBT app or website, and DHS strongly encourages SNAP recipients to use ConnectEBT to keep their card locked when the card isn’t in use to protect their benefits from skimming or theft. For additional information and updates about SNAP, please visit www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs. This came after President Trump signed a bill to fund the federal government through January 30 on Wednesday, November 12. The deal includes three yearlong funding bills, one of which will fund the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through September 2026; funding for the USDA and SNAP will not lapse even if lawmakers fail to reach a funding deal for other departments by the end of January.

(updated 11/13/2025)
On Wednesday, November 12, President Trump signed a bill to fund the federal government through January 30. The deal includes three yearlong funding bills, one of which will fund the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through September 2026; funding for the USDA and SNAP will not lapse even if lawmakers fail to reach a funding deal for other departments by the end of January. It is not yet known when full November SNAP benefits will be issued to EBT cards. This page will be updated as we receive this information.

(updated 11/10/2025)
Following a federal judge’s order on November 6 requiring the federal government to disburse SNAP benefits, the PA Department of Human Services (PA DHS) worked quickly to administer SNAP benefits to Pennsylvanians who had been waiting the longest for their benefits. The Trump Administration appealed that judge’s decision, and as Pennsylvania was working to administer these payments on Friday, November 7, the Supreme Court paused the disbursements. Because of this, some Pennsylvanians have received their November SNAP benefits, and others have not. SNAP payments continue to be paused pending further direction from the courts. PA DHS will work quickly to distribute benefits once the Supreme Court announces a ruling. Pennsylvanians who received benefits on their EBT cards are able to spend them.

(updated 11/7/2025)
On Friday afternoon, Governor Shapiro and DHS Secretary Arkoosh announced that full November SNAP payments are being processed by the state’s vendor, and SNAP recipient who should have received payments November 1-6 will see those funds loaded on their EBT cards by sometime Friday night. DHS will continue to issue full November benefits on the regular schedule for recipients that had not yet missed their payment date. We do not yet have information on what will happen with SNAP payments in December if the federal government has not opened by December 1. It is possible that the issuing of November benefits could be halted if the ongoing Trump administration appeals are granted by federal courts.

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As Pennsylvania nears its fifth month without a state budget and faces the impacts of a federal government shutdown, millions of hardworking Pennsylvanians are living with growing uncertainty about how they will put food on the table.

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) announced that starting October 16, 2025, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits cannot be paid to Pennsylvania residents until the federal government shutdown ends. With $366 million in monthly benefits for two million Pennsylvanians in jeopardy, Pennsylvania’s charitable food network is preparing for an unprecedented surge in need.

SNAP is the largest anti-hunger program in Pennsylvania, providing nine meals for every one meal that our charitable food network provides. A lapse in benefits could leave an enormous gap that Pennsylvania’s already strained charitable food system simply cannot fill alone.

This crisis comes at a time when food banks are already under immense pressure from the compounding challenges of rising demand and reduced resources. Food insecurity in Pennsylvania has risen by more than 40% in the past two years, with 1.7 million people struggling to access enough food even before recent significant changes to SNAP and federal employee paycheck disruptions.

At the same time, food banks are operating with fewer resources. Over the past nine months, the federal government has cut $13 million in food purchasing programs and canceled $6 million of TEFAP food shipments in Pennsylvania. In addition, Pennsylvania is the only state without an enacted state budget. The ongoing state budget impasse has halted critical funding through programs like the State Food Purchase Program (SFPP) and the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS), which help food banks purchase fresh produce, dairy, and protein for their communities.

Despite these extraordinary challenges, Feeding Pennsylvania remains steadfast in our mission to ensure access to nutritious food for every Pennsylvanian. We will remain in close communication with state, federal, and community partners to monitor the situation, advocate for swift action, and keep the public informed. Our resilient network of food banks, pantries and meal programs are trusted community resources during times of disruption—they will continue to do everything possible to meet rising demand and ensure no one faces hunger alone.

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