Overview
- USDA confirmed in an Oct. 24 memo it will not use about $5 billion in contingency funds, leaving November SNAP benefits unfunded without congressional action.
- Senate Democrats moved to restore SNAP, but Majority Leader John Thune said he would block the measure, leaving no immediate legislative fix.
- Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia bought several truckloads of food, including 53,844 cans of chicken, and is spending an extra $250,000 to supply 21 counties as warehouse shelves run bare.
- Local providers report sharp increases in need, with some pantries seeing 20–30% more families and others doubling clients, while grocery donations decline.
- Community responses include a Savannah church distributing groceries to 500 families Saturday, DoorDash pledging 1 million free meal deliveries and waived fees for SNAP grocery orders, and local businesses offering free meals and food bags.