Tell USDA to Tap the $5 Billion to Fund SNAP in November.

The ongoing federal shutdown has brought us to the brink: the USDA confirms its $5 billion contingency reserve remains untouched. At the same time, more than 41 million Americans are poised to lose support from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as early as November. That’s unacceptable and unnecessary. Law requires the USDA to use contingency funds when regular appropriations lapse. 

The USDA’s inaction comes just months after Congress passed the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” which gutted SNAP by $186 billion over the next decade, stripping food assistance from millions of working families and young adults. Now, with the federal shutdown freezing new funding, that reckless cut is colliding with real lives.

Governors in multiple states are already declaring emergencies as food banks prepare for a surge in demand and families brace for empty EBT cards in November. State leaders are warning that they cannot fill a federal gap this large — and they’re right. Only the USDA has the authority and the reserves to act now.

The window is tight. With the month’s benefits timeline approaching and processing files delayed by the memo to states, time is not on our side. 

The values here are simple: Every person deserves a meal. When children go hungry, families fall deeper into crisis and communities pay the price. Protecting SNAP isn’t just compassion — it’s economic stability, social justice, and moral duty.