SNAP Pause Sparks Shortages; States Sue for Funds

With federal SNAP benefits set to pause beginning Nov. 1 amid the government shutdown — the USDA warning “the well has run dry” — millions of low-income Americans face a sudden loss of food assistance. Food banks and pantries nationwide are reporting sharp spikes in demand from Portland to San Antonio, Chicago to rural Georgia, with some already turning people away and rationing supplies. Local figures show about 757,000 Oregonians at risk (roughly 143,000 in Multnomah County); pantries report increases such as LIFT UP's 60% rise, Hope Southern Indiana's 30% rise, and Journey Community adding 20–25 new families weekly. The USDA has also paused deliveries under the Emergency Food Assistance Program, compounding shortages and prompting grassroots groups and nonprofits to expand services despite limited funding and capacity. California and other states are pursuing legal action to force use of contingency funds, and pantry leaders and some lawmakers are urging emergency federal intervention to prevent wider hunger, supply-chain strain and higher grocery prices.