Americans Are Losing Their Food-Stamp Benefits: What’s Going On?

The largest federal food-assistance program in the U.S., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as “food stamps”), is facing an unprecedented disruption. Around 42 million Americans depend on SNAP benefits each month. Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, payments for November have been threatened.

The 2025 United States federal government shutdown began in October 2025 and has left significant gaps in federal funding for programs like SNAP. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which administers SNAP, reported that it lacks the appropriated funds to meet the November benefit obligations.