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Courts Order SNAP Lifeline as South Florida Braces for Gaps in Benefits

EBT card reloading could take a week or longer, leaving food banks racing to cover short-term shortages.

Overview

  • Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island directed the administration to tap contingency funds to sustain SNAP, but access for recipients may be delayed as cards are reloaded.
  • Feeding South Florida, Palm Beach County Food Bank, Treasure Coast Food Bank and the Pantry of Broward County are extending operations, stocking shelves and recruiting volunteers to meet surging need.
  • Meals on Wheels South Florida launched a Senior SNAP Relief Program that provides two weeks of food to homebound people over 60 who lost benefits, with repeat deliveries if delays persist.
  • Local leaders cite heavy reliance on SNAP, with about 160,000 recipients in Palm Beach County and an estimated 252,859 people eligible in Broward, concentrated in central Broward communities.
  • Forty-three Democratic state lawmakers urged Gov. Ron DeSantis to declare an emergency, a step he has not taken, as the administration seeks court clarification on the funding orders.