Overview
- New York declared an emergency and released $65 million for food banks, while Massachusetts advanced $4 million, Maryland tapped $10 million, and Tennessee launched FeedTN.org to connect residents with local resources.
- Indiana’s State Budget Committee rejected a proposal to use $100 million in state contingency funds to backfill SNAP and $10 million monthly for food banks, citing reimbursement risks and uncertainty about loading state dollars onto EBT cards.
- The USDA told states that contingency funds are not legally available for regular benefits and directed agencies to delay November issuances, putting roughly 40–42 million recipients at risk starting Nov. 1 unless Congress acts.
- A coalition of 25 states sued to force the release of SNAP funds; during a Thursday hearing, a federal judge signaled she may consider a partial funding order with a ruling expected later in the day.
- Food banks report sharp surges in demand and warn they cannot replace lost benefits, with states like California and West Virginia channeling funds and volunteers to bolster emergency distributions.