As the federal government shutdown stretched into its second month, the fate of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)—better known as food stamps—became a flashpoint in communities across the country. On November 1, 2025, Rep. Joe Neguse, assistant minority leader for House Democrats and representative for Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, arrived at the Food Bank for Larimer County in Fort Collins to volunteer and hear firsthand how the looming expiration of federal food aid would impact local families.
By the time Neguse left the food bank, a flurry of legal activity had changed the outlook—at least temporarily. Two federal judges, including U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in Rhode Island and Judge Indira Talwani in Boston, had ordered the Trump administration to use emergency funds to pay SNAP benefits for November. The rulings came after weeks of mounting anxiety, with food banks like Larimer’s bracing for surges in demand and millions of households nationwide uncertain about how they would afford groceries.
Judge McConnell’s order, issued on Saturday, November 1, required the administration to make full SNAP payments by Monday, November 3, or at least partial payments by Wednesday, November 5. He rejected the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) claim that it could not fund SNAP during the shutdown, calling the decision not to use $5.25 billion in congressionally approved contingency funds “arbitrary.” According to KSL News, McConnell wrote, “There is no question that the congressionally approved contingency funds must be used now because of the shutdown; in fact, the president, during his first term, issued guidance indicating that these contingency funds are available if SNAP funds lapse due to a government shutdown.”
In response to the court orders, former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that the federal government “likely lacks legal authority” to require the USDA to pay for SNAP benefits. However, he signaled a willingness to comply if directed by the judiciary, stating, “If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay.” Later, Trump added, “I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.” Judge McConnell acknowledged this post in his order, writing, “The court greatly appreciates the president’s quick and definitive response to this court’s Order and his desire to provide the necessary SNAP funding.”
Despite these developments, uncertainty lingered for SNAP recipients and the organizations that support them. The USDA had previously indicated it would use the contingency fund to keep SNAP afloat during the shutdown, but then quietly removed that information from its website, according to reporting by USA TODAY. The agency also argued that, with the program costing $8.5 to $9 billion per month and 42 million Americans relying on it, the contingency fund might not be enough. Judge McConnell instructed the USDA to consider tapping an additional fund with approximately $23 billion if needed.
Rep. Neguse, speaking at the Larimer food bank, emphasized that Congress had always intended for the $5.2 billion contingency fund to be used in precisely these circumstances. “As the judge said yesterday, Congress intended for this fund to be used in this way,” Neguse told USA TODAY. “We know that because it’s been used that way previously, including during the prior shutdown in 2019.” He accused the Trump administration of making a “deliberate choice” not to release the authorized funds, calling it a violation of law. “The reason SNAP benefits are poised to lapse for the first time in the history of the program is the Trump administration refuses to release the funds that were authorized for that purpose,” Neguse said. He added that the administration was actively arguing in court that they should not have to spend money on SNAP assistance.
Meanwhile, the political blame game intensified. Republican U.S. representatives from Colorado—including Gabe Evans, Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank, and Jeff Hurd—sent a letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer urging Democrats to vote to end the shutdown, which they argued would restore SNAP benefits. “These commissioners are pleading with you and your colleagues—including Sens. Hickenlooper and Bennet—to put politics aside and pass the clean CR to avert a SNAP crisis,” the letter read. The prolonged shutdown, which began October 1, 2025, has seen both parties accuse the other of intransigence, with negotiations reportedly stalled and the House of Representatives effectively closed for six weeks under Speaker Mike Johnson.
Back in Larimer County, the effects of the uncertainty were stark. Amy Pezzani, CEO of the Food Bank for Larimer County, told Neguse that more than 500 people had signed up for food bank services in October alone—a sharp increase from the roughly 150 new sign-ups per month seen from July through September. “That’s 500-plus additional families that haven’t been using us,” Pezzani said. “Then there are the families that are using us.” One family, she noted, had told her they would need to visit the food bank at the maximum allowed frequency—twice per week—in order to get enough food. “No one will go hungry. No one will not get food, but there’s no way for us to make up for $120 million in lost revenue to families,” Pezzani explained.
The local impact was compounded by delays in state-level relief. Earlier in the week, the Colorado Joint Budget Committee authorized $10 million for food banks, but those funds could not be used immediately due to contract requirements. The food bank had to dip into its general operating funds to make bulk purchases and meet surging demand.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis also weighed in after the judges’ rulings, calling on the USDA to immediately release SNAP funding—a move that would benefit 600,000 Coloradans and 34,000 residents of Larimer County. The urgency was palpable, as food insecurity threatened to spike if federal aid lapsed.
SNAP benefits are a lifeline for Americans living below 130% of the federal poverty line—about $1,632 per month for a single-person household and $2,215 for two people. States administer the program, but federal dollars pay the monthly benefits. With each passing day of the shutdown, the pressure on food banks, state agencies, and low-income families mounted.
As November began, the fate of SNAP hung in the balance. Court orders had forced the administration’s hand, at least for now, but the broader political stalemate remained unresolved. The coming week’s Senate vote on a standalone SNAP funding bill offered a glimmer of hope, yet for millions of Americans, the question of how to put food on the table remained painfully immediate.
While the legal and political wrangling continues in Washington, the reality on the ground is clear: food banks and families are bracing for whatever comes next, determined not to let anyone fall through the cracks.