People in some states get SNAP food aid while others still wait for their November benefits

People in chosen U S states will be able to buy groceries with federally funded SNAP benefits Saturday while those in other states were still waiting for November food benefits that had been delayed by a protracted legal battle over the federal authorities shutdown The Trump administration initially commented last month that it would not fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Effort benefits for November because of the U S authorities shutdown The twists and turns since have exacerbated uncertainty for the nearly in Americans who receive monthly SNAP benefits to spend at grocery stores and farmer s markets On Friday various states began issuing full monthly SNAP benefits to people a day after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide the funds But Friday night Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson temporarily paused that judicial order to allow time for an appeals court to decide whether to issue a more lasting halt Jackson acted because she handles emergency matters from Massachusetts The high court s order didn t stop payment distribution in at least a few states but millions of other Americans who depend on SNAP are still in limbo How are SNAP recipients faring Nearly million Americans receive SNAP benefits formerly known as food stamps for help buying groceries Largest part have incomes below the poverty line which is about for a family of four An individual can receive a monthly maximum food benefit of nearly and a family of four up to nearly although multiple receive less than that under a formula that takes into consideration their income The delay in payments has led to a surge in demand at food banks and pantries across the country as well as long lines for free meals or drive-thru giveaways Particular states have provided exigency funding to food banks to help them respond to the increased need Specific states also used their own dollars to fund direct payments to people while the federal benefits were in limbo Over the weekend specific SNAP recipients took to social media to ask for advice on how to stretch their benefits with specific reporting they received far more than they are owed and others getting just a meager dollars North Carolina s Physical condition and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai acknowledged that more than households there received just or less after the state paused the full payment of benefits following the Supreme Court s order Where have people already received benefits Whether SNAP beneficiaries see money on their electronic benefits transfer cards depends on where they live In Hawaii Oregon and Wisconsin representatives worked hastily after a judge ordered full benefit payments Thursday to instruct their EBT providers to process the full payments We moved with haste once we verified everything Joseph Campos II deputy director of Hawaii s Department of Human Services advised The Associated Press Oregon Gov Tina Kotek a Democrat noted state employees worked through the night to issue full November benefits to make sure every Oregon family relying on SNAP could buy groceries over the weekend Personnel in California Kansas New Jersey Pennsylvania and Washington also approved that chosen SNAP recipients were issued their full November payments on Friday Washington Gov Bob Ferguson a Democrat announced more than households that missed their regular monthly SNAP payment during the first week of November received their full amount on Friday The remaining beneficiaries would receive their November funds on their regularly scheduled dates later this month if distribution does not remain blocked by legal challenges Leaders in Colorado approved Saturday that about recipients there had received their full monthly benefits before the Supreme Court s order came down More than additional recipients are still waiting Massachusetts Democratic Gov Maura Healey commented half a million recipients in her state also got their benefits after a previously scheduled payment went out Saturday morning A half a million more residents there are supposed to get their benefits next week In Rhode Island about households received their full benefits Democratic Gov Dan McKee reported adding that his company is working through the weekend to help address what he described as a problem The President has intentionally created chaos for states across the country playing games with people s ability to feed their families weaponizing hunger and gaslighting the American people It s inhumane McKee reported The Trump administration noted in a legal filing with the Supreme Court that there is no ready mechanism for the establishment to recover those funds that already have been distributed How long might residents elsewhere wait Before Jackson ordered a pause New York had stated access to full SNAP benefits should begin by Sunday New Hampshire had declared full benefits should be available over the weekend And Arizona Connecticut and Minnesota all had noted that full SNAP benefits should be accessible in the coming days Whether people genuinely will receive those benefits on their EBT cards remains unclear For people in particular other states the wait appears likely to extend into next week Numerous state executives revealed they had been waiting for further guidance from the U S Department of Agriculture which administers SNAP What has been holding up November benefits Because of the federal administration shutdown the Trump administration originally had mentioned SNAP benefits would not be available in November After two judges ruled the administration could not skip November s benefits entirely the administration disclosed it would use an emergency reserve fund containing more than billion to provide partial benefits in November A judge on Thursday revealed that wasn t good enough and ordered other funds to be used to make the full monthly payment The Trump administration appealed asking a higher court to suspend any orders that require it to spend more money than is available in the contingency fund That is what led to Jackson s temporary hold issued late Friday Associated Press reporters from across the U S contributed to this description