Shutdown Threatens SNAP, Delays Heating Aid

The federal government shutdown has forced Pennsylvania and New York to delay federally funded heating-aid programs: Pennsylvania pushed LIHEAP from Nov. 3 to Dec. 3 — affecting more than 300,000 families and unable to backfill over $215 million — and New York has postponed HEAP openings at least into mid-November, with some local starts set for Nov. 17 (HEAP served more than 1.5 million households statewide and nearly 1 million in New York City last winter). The shutdown also threatens nutrition programs: the USDA warned it will stop issuing SNAP benefits on Nov. 1 if funding is not restored, putting roughly 42 million recipients at risk nationwide, and officials say WIC and other aid programs could face cuts or emergency measures if the lapse continues. State and local officials in several states (including Georgia, California/CalFresh, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Erie County) say current EBT balances can be spent but future reloads are uncertain and new applications are caught in limbo. Families report stockpiling food, visiting food banks, and facing skipped meals or delayed bills if November benefits do not arrive, while food banks warn they cannot match SNAP's scale and surveys show many recipients feel unprepared and extremely stressed. Governors, human-services leaders, and community groups are urging Congress and the White House to restore funding as states continue processing preseason applications but cannot issue payments until federal funds arrive, and officials are directing residents to 211 hotlines, food bank locators, and local pantry networks for immediate help.