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SNAP Funding Fight Intensifies as Courts Press for Payments and Food Banks Shift to Emergency Operations

Ongoing legal challenges keep benefits uneven and delayed.

Overview

  • A federal judge on Thursday ordered the administration to restore full SNAP funding by Nov. 7, and the White House appealed and sought an emergency block on Friday.
  • Several states say they have begun processing full payments, yet staggered EBT schedules and system changes mean many recipients still face lags.
  • Bay Area organizations report sharp spikes in need, including a 33% jump to more than 2,100 households at Redwood Empire in one day, a fivefold surge in Alameda County web traffic, and a 205% rise in San Francisco–Marin locator use.
  • Food banks are reallocating operations and money, from Missoula’s switch to pre‑packed boxes to Alameda County pop‑ups and expanded home deliveries, while Houston is opening costly supersites and targeting a 50% output increase after authorizing extra procurement.
  • Leaders warn that local stopgaps and reserves cannot match SNAP’s scale and note that earlier congressional cuts could further reduce assistance even after the shutdown ends.