By Whitney Downard | Pennsylvania Capital-Star
The two million Pennsylvanians who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could have their benefits restored by midnight, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Friday in a Philadelphia press conference.
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“When SNAP was taken away from our fellow Pennsylvanians, we saw an immediate impact. Folks came knocking on the doors here at Share,” said Shapiro, speaking at hunger relief organization Share Food Program. “One out of every eight of our neighbors relies on this funding, and it was taken away.”
Benefits are awarded on a rolling basis, meaning that only a fraction of people were due to receive their SNAP dollars sometime this week. Shapiro praised the Department of Human Services for quickly processing roughly $100 million in funds awarded “within the last few hours,” saying a full accounting could be released Saturday.
The two million Pennsylvanians, equal to more than 15% of the state’s population or more than the combined populations of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, receive a combined $366 million in monthly SNAP benefits.
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“So if you’re one of those people that had a zero on your SNAP card because you were supposed to get your benefits on the first of the month, go check it out,” Shapiro said. “Those dollars are flowing. We are hoping that by this evening, maybe midnight or so, that all those individuals who were owed money over the first week or so of this month — who haven’t gotten it from the federal administration — are going to get their money.”
It’s unclear how payments will be affected by a Supreme Court ruling blocking them late Friday. Even as money was going out earlier to states and recipients for skipped payments during the first week of November, the Trump administration had continued to fight fully funding the program.
Court battle background
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As the longest-ever federal government shutdown stretches into its sixth week, the billions sent out in food assistance have appeared to be at risk. Shapiro joined a lawsuit suing the Trump administration, attempting to pressure the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release the funds after the agency said it couldn’t tap contingency funds. Additionally, Shapiro earmarked $5 million in state funds for food banks and encouraged people to donate to a private sector fundraising campaign, saying $2 million had been contributed so far.
Friday’s announcement comes one day after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to pay the full $9 billion in nutritional assistance benefits for the month of November by the end of the week in a separate case.
Initially, the court ordered the Trump administration to make partial November payments, which would have required recalculating benefits through a formula and could have delayed delivery, by Wednesday. After failing to meet that deadline, the judge ordered full payments.
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Shapiro pinned the blame on President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, saying “we’ve got an administration in Washington, (D.C.) that doesn’t give a damn about their neighbors in need.”
He noted that the administration had filed an appeal in an attempt to reverse the judge’s order.
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“We stood together as Pennsylvanians, donating money, donating time (and) donating canned good to be able to be in a position to love thy neighbor, as is commanded in our Bible,” said Shapiro. “And my appeal to the Trump administration is just do the right thing. Give up. You’re going to lose again in court. And the only thing you’re fighting for — think about this — the only thing you’re fighting for is to make Americans hungry.”
Shapiro, who’s rumored to be exploring a presidential campaign in 2028, continued to criticize both Trump and Vance — calling the latter a “total phony.” At one point, Shapiro got emotional, invoking scripture as his impetus for aiding Pennsylvania’s hungry.
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“I’m sorry that the federal government has held you captive; I’m sorry the federal government has quite literally taken food out of your children’s mouths,” said Shapiro, when asked what he’d say to SNAP recipients. “We’re going to do everything we can here in Pennsylvania to love thy neighbor.”
It’s unclear if all states have processed their SNAP funds on the same timeline.
Emily Previti contributed to this story.
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Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com.
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