Shapiro Releases $5M to Food Banks Amid SNAP Pause

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an emergency declaration freeing $5 million to Feeding Pennsylvania and the state’s food‑bank network to help nearly 2 million residents affected by a pause in SNAP benefits amid the federal government shutdown. The funds will flow through Feeding Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System (PASS) so food banks — including Philabundance and the state’s 13 regional banks — can buy local and donated food to meet immediate needs. Shapiro joined a 25‑state lawsuit urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use congressionally appropriated contingency funds to continue SNAP, and two federal judges have ordered the USDA to tap emergency funds, though the administration could still appeal and delay relief. He also launched a private‑sector SNAP Emergency Relief Fund that has raised about $1 million from donors, but he cautioned the state cannot replace roughly $366 million in monthly federal SNAP payments. Officials warned that even if federal payments resume, reloading EBT cards can take one to two weeks, so the $5 million is intended to bridge immediate gaps for food banks and hungry families.