SNAP funding timeline remains in limbo

MARINETTE – During the final weeks of October many have been awaiting word from the federal government on whether or not the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) program would be funded.

“The EBT [Electronic Benefits Transfer] funds have not been released for Nov. 1,” said Jaime Mueller, director of finance at Main Street Health Insurance, which helps people of all incomes find health insurance plans.

SNAP is also known as Wisconsin FoodShare or “the EBT program,” he said.
Many families and individuals will be relying on local resources during this time.

“For many families in our area, the St. Vincent de Paul [SVdP] Food Pantry in Marinette serves as a vital source of support during difficult times,” SVdP representatives said.

“With recent changes in government support programs like SNAP and the government shutdown, the pantry has already seen an increase in the number of people seeking help. In response, St. Vincent de Paul is closely monitoring food inventory levels and planning additional food drives to ensure shelves remain stocked for those in need.”

The current funding amounts and sources have not been fully determined. Most recently, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released that they will partially fund SNAP using emergency reserve funds.

This decision came at the same time federal judges in two states decided the federal government must use available funds to continue EBT food-share payments used to purchase nutritious food at grocery and convenience stores.
Gov. Tony Evers was among those who encouraged the USDA to use available funds to keep the program going during the government shutdown, which began Oct. 1. Evers said the Wisconsin FoodShare program is entirely funded by the federal government.

On Oct. 31, Evers said, “The good news is that the courts agree with what we’ve said all along, which is that the Trump Administration should have — and could have — taken action sooner to prevent November food assistance from lapsing for millions of Americans, including for nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites.

But now, the damage is done.”

The Wisconsinites enrolled in the EBT program include 270,000 children, according to Evers’ office.

“Starting tomorrow, kids, families, and seniors across our state will be without the assistance they need for basic food and groceries, and there’s no excuse for it—none. So, while we wait to see if the Trump Administration will follow court orders and the law and do the right thing, here in Wisconsin, we must continue to prepare for the worst,” Evers said.

Many children in Marinette County also rely on outside assistance for their meals.

“While the pantry serves a wide variety of individuals, families make up a large portion of those we assist. However, we also see many single individuals and seniors who are struggling to make ends meet. The need for assistance grows significantly around Thanksgiving and Christmas, as families work to provide special meals and meet additional expenses during the holiday season,” SVdP representatives said.

President Donald Trump said on social media he did not want Americans to go hungry.

The USDA’s $5 billion contingency fund was expected to be used to continue EBT payments, while Democrats pointed to a separate $23 billion fund that also could be used, the Associated Press said.

USDA said the cutoff in SNAP payments stemmed from the government shutdown, caused largely by partisan disagreements over whether extended government tax credits for health insurance purchased on Healthcare.gov should be extended.

The government shutdown also has meant federal government workers have missed paychecks.

In other governmental updates, the Reconciliation Act also made changes to SNAP, such as requiring those ages 64 and younger — except parents of children under 14 years old — to be employed or in job training at least part time to qualify for benefits, The Wall Street Journal reported on Oct. 31.

EBT provides monthly payments of about $190 per qualified person or $356 per qualified household, the USDA said. Nationally, about 42 million people in low-income households receive monthly EBT payment for food, representing about 12% of the population, according to the USDA.

The program cost about $64.7 billion in fiscal year 2025, the USDA said.

Similarly, 11.8% of Wisconsinites received SNAP benefits in fiscal 2024 according to the most recent state-level data available from USAFacts.org, a nonpartisan nonprofit providing access to government data.

To qualify for SNAP benefits, an individual’s income can be no higher than $1,632 per month, while the limit for a four-person household is about $3,380, USAFacts said.

USDA said about eight of 10 SNAP households have at least one person who is a child, an older adult or a person with disabilities.

Explaining how assistance is given at a local level, a SVdP representative said, “To receive food, individuals and families simply need to bring a photo ID and a recent utility bill showing their name and address as proof of residency. Once verified, clients are warmly welcomed and guided through the process by compassionate volunteers who are there to help.”

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin said Oct. 31 she and her Democratic colleagues introduced the “Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025,” to prevent SNAP recipients from losing food assistance, but the bill was blocked.

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who introduced the Shutdown Fairness Act to ensure federal employees reporting to work during a shutdown receive pay and allowances, expressed concerns over fraud in government programs as a reason for supporting more restrictions to them.

But Baldwin disagreed, saying SNAP is essential.

“FoodShare helps hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites make sure their kids are fed and families have food in the fridge,” Baldwin said.

“Our bill makes sure this much-needed assistance gets out the door, so no child, no veteran and no senior goes hungry because of Washington politics at its worst.”

Gov. Evers took a similar tact in an Oct. 22 letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, where he emphasized the program’s necessity and encouraged Rollins to keep it funded. “Empty cupboards and stomachs are not abstract outcomes.

They are the very real and near consequences of the dysfunction in Washington. These are also consequences you can prevent today.”

Community members can help right now — or at any point during the year, a SVdP representative said.

“Community support is essential. Donations of nonperishable food, monetary gifts to purchase needed items, and volunteers to assist at the pantry are always welcome and deeply appreciated.”

SVdP Food Pantry Manager Bonnie Matthews said, “We are very thankful for the opportunity to help our friends and neighbors in need. It’s truly a blessing to make someone smile and let them know they’re not alone. Things may be tough right now, but if we help each other and do it together, we’ll all get through it.”