On the first Saturday of November 2025, millions of Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) awoke to a harsh reality: their expected benefits were not deposited. This unprecedented delay in federal payments, stretching into what could be weeks or even months, has left families scrambling to put food on the table. As government aid falters, a Brooklyn-based tech startup, Propel, has stepped up to bridge the gap—albeit temporarily and imperfectly—by putting cash directly into the hands of those most in need.
Propel’s CEO, Jimmy Chen, understands the sting of hunger firsthand. Growing up in Kansas City, his family sometimes struggled to keep food on the table. Now, Chen leads a company that has become a lifeline for many. Propel’s free app, designed for SNAP recipients, allows users to check their benefit balances and access coupons and grocery discounts. As of early November 2025, about 5 million people use the app, according to NPR.
The latest crisis began when the federal government halted SNAP payments on November 1, citing funding issues. For the nearly 42 million Americans who depend on these benefits, the delay was more than an inconvenience—it was a potential disaster. "Their budgets are already extremely tight. There's usually not a lot of wiggle room," Chen explained to NPR. "So a delay of even a few days on an expected deposit ends up being a really, really huge deal."
Recognizing the urgency, Propel launched a direct cash assistance initiative that same Saturday. The company began distributing $50 payments to users of its app, prioritizing those with children and little or no income. While $50 may seem modest, Chen was upfront about its limitations. "We understand that $50 is not enough," he said. "But we're trying to reach the largest number of families and provide an amount that gives them a little bit of breathing room."
Propel identified approximately 230,000 users who fit this "high need" profile. To fund the effort, the company donated $1 million of its own money, aiming for a total of $10 million to cover $50 payments for all targeted recipients. The startup also sought help from corporate partners, including the New York anti-poverty nonprofit Robin Hood and ecommerce platform Babylist. In addition, Propel teamed up with GiveDirectly, a nonprofit known for running cash aid programs worldwide, to launch a crowdfunding campaign. According to GiveDirectly’s senior program manager Sarina Jain, the combined effort has raised $6 million so far, including Propel’s contributions.
The scale of the need, however, is daunting. "The sheer scale and volume of this need is so immense. We're talking about millions of low income Americans who are at risk of not getting this assistance," Jain told NPR. Even with the influx of private donations, both Chen and Jain acknowledged that these efforts are no substitute for federal action. The government typically spends about $8 billion a month on SNAP, dwarfing the resources of even the most ambitious private campaigns.
The roots of the crisis trace back to a legal and political standoff. After two federal judges ruled that freezing SNAP payments was unlawful, the Trump administration announced on Monday, November 3, that it would restart partial payments. But there was a catch: states would only receive about half their usual federal funding. The government planned to tap a $5 billion contingency fund from the Department of Agriculture, far short of the $8 billion required for full monthly benefits. Officials warned that processing the reduced payments could take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the state.
For families like Shenita Melton’s, the uncertainty is excruciating. Melton, a 37-year-old mother of four living in rural Anson County, North Carolina, spoke with NPR about the daily challenges she faces. She relies on SNAP to feed her children, three of whom are teenagers—"they eat a lot," she said. With payments delayed, Melton found herself scrambling to find enough food. Local food banks, already scarce in her area, only allow pickups once or twice a month, and many of the groceries are expired. "I'm kind of scared to give my kids expired food," Melton admitted. "But sometimes you have to do what you have to do."
Stories like Melton’s are becoming all too common as the SNAP delay ripples across the country. The federal government’s partial restart offers some hope, but with only half the usual funding and unpredictable timelines, many families are left in limbo. The prospect of waiting weeks—or even months—for full benefits has many worried about how they’ll make ends meet.
Propel’s intervention, while limited, provides a crucial stopgap. The company’s app, already a vital tool for SNAP recipients, has become a conduit for emergency cash. The $50 payments, though not a long-term solution, can help families bridge the gap until federal aid resumes. Propel’s partnerships with organizations like Robin Hood, Babylist, and GiveDirectly highlight a growing trend of private and nonprofit actors stepping in where government safety nets falter.
Yet, as Chen repeatedly emphasizes, the ultimate solution lies with the federal government. "At the end of the day, the single biggest thing we can do in this country is to get SNAP back online, depositing on a predictable schedule to the people who receive it," he said. The sentiment is echoed by advocates and recipients alike: private charity, no matter how innovative or well-intentioned, cannot replace the scale and reliability of government support.
With nearly 42 million Americans depending on SNAP, the stakes could hardly be higher. The current crisis has exposed the fragility of the nation’s anti-hunger safety net and the limits of both public and private stopgaps. For now, families like Melton’s must navigate a patchwork of assistance, hoping for the day when their benefits arrive on time and in full. Until then, the combined efforts of startups, nonprofits, and communities offer a lifeline—one that is desperately needed, but ultimately insufficient for the scale of the challenge.
As the weeks unfold and the government works to restore full SNAP payments, the resilience and ingenuity of affected families and those supporting them will be tested. The experience serves as a stark reminder of the importance of predictable, robust public assistance—and the profound impact its absence can have on millions of lives.