October 31, 2025

This Halloween, 42 million Americans have much to fear as the Trump Administration announced it would delay the disbursement of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits—previously known as “food stamps”—for November and until the federal government shutdown ends. 

Today, two separate federal courts ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture must continue paying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the federal shutdown. We are actively monitoring the situation. The situation remains fluid, and it is unlikely that recipients will see new money added to their accounts before the typical November 1 disbursement date.

If benefits remain frozen, EBT cards with existing benefits will still work but the distribution of new funds will be cut off. On the eve of the holiday season, and with additional key social safety net programs set to run out of money in the coming month, students and families are having their essential needs disrupted due to the actions of the Trump Administration and the failure to resolve the situation in Congress. The Hope Center stands against the refusal to distribute benefits and with the many states, institutions of higher education, and community organizations mobilizing to support our fellow Americans at this difficult time.  

We are grateful to be in community with many colleges, universities, and organizations working to support and defend students’ rights to basic needs, and we are here to support their efforts. To that end, The Hope Center is developing recommendations and collating examples of state- and institution-level actions to support students through the November 2025 SNAP cliff and federal government shutdown. If you are developing or expanding your response strategy, we hope this guide will provide useful, actionable ideas. If you are already enacting your response strategy, we hope that you will share your outreach and action examples for us to add to the guide.

Together, we can and will support students, their families, and all who are impacted by this crisis. Together, we can and will advocate for change.