Due to the federal government shutdown, SNAP benefits will not be paid out starting Nov 1.
- ablue49
- Oct 29, 2025
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 9
October 30, 2025
Due to the federal government shutdown, SNAP benefits will not be paid out starting Nov 1.
SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is the federal government’s largest anti-hunger program in the United States. It provides monthly benefits to eligible low-income households to help them buy nutritious food
While snap only covers a small portion of what it costs to feed someone, it is a portion. The average monthly allotment (no county level data for this) is $154 per person, per month (as of 2022).
Chester County Residents who utilized snap as of Jan 2025 : 28,148
PA Residents who utilized snap as of Jan 2025 : 5,403,437
Resources with more INFO
What CanYou Do
Contact Senators McCormick and Fetterman and ask them to push the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) to continue to pay out SNAP
2. Support local and county food providers
From the The Chester County Food Bank
Food insecurity is not confined to areas of high poverty. In Chester County, having no or limited access to food is more prevalent than one might expect. The reality is that nearly 50,000 of our neighbors, coworkers, and friends living in all towns across Chester County struggle to consistently put food on the table.
Several factors contribute to food insecurity, including the rising cost of living, healthcare expenses, lack of affordable housing, and public transportation issues. Often, individuals and families are forced to make difficult choices, like paying rent or medical bills instead of buying food. MIT’s Living Wage calculator currently estimates that a family of four with two working adults needs an annual income of $155,986 to pay for the basic living costs in Chester County which includes expenses such as rent, medical, and childcare.
In contrast, the eligibility threshold for SNAP (food stamps) for a family of four is just $60,000, leaving many households with incomes that fall below the living wage but above the threshold for assistance. Because eligibility for SNAP does not consider local living costs, Feeding America estimates that 50% of the food insecure households in Chester County are ineligible for food assistance because their income is deemed “too high.” When compared to neighboring counties and states, food-insecure Chester County residents are much less likely to receive government assistance making our services in the community more prominent and impactful. As a food bank, we serve a much higher percentage of clients who are unable to receive government assistance when compared to other food banks throughout the country.
For those who do qualify for SNAP, providing sufficient, quality food is a financial strain on many local households leading to increased demand in our food pantries and cupboards. We have been working closely with our over 100 community partners to ensure they have enough food to meet this demand. CCFB continues to procure foods strategically and make the most of our purchasing power to ensure enough food is provided to neighbors visiting food cupboards.
