About the Upcoming SNAP Cutoff in Massachusetts
As the government shutdown continues, people in at least 25 states are at risk of losing their SNAP benefits on November 1st, including Massachusetts. SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition and Food Assistance. It is a federally-funded program that provides eligible individuals with monthly funds to buy food, access to nutrition classes, and connections to other kinds of help. This funding freeze will impact 1.1 million residents in Massachusetts, of whom 32 percent are children, 26 percent are seniors, and 31 percent are people with disabilities.
Photo via Mass50501 Volunteer
While many people joined this movement to spark nationwide change in the fight against authoritarianism, this impending cutoff in our own state underscores the need to maintain focus on our local communities—a core principle of Mass 50501.
If you are in need of help, check out the Massachusetts SNAP updates and FAQ. Your EBT will continue to work if it has funds. If you currently receive SNAP benefits and have at least $1 left in your SNAP account, you may still be able to use HIP benefits to purchase fresh foods from eligible vendors. Massachusetts continues to fund free breakfasts and lunches in all public schools, charter schools, and some private schools. Every student in a participating school is eligible.
If you are in need of food assistance or if you have the means or time to provide support, consider connecting with the following resources:
Check in with your schools, places of worship, and library.
Some communities may participate in a BackPack program that provides backpacks full of food over weekends and school breaks. Ask at your schools or community pantry if they participate.
Find your local pantry via the search tools at your regional food bank or the following sites:
Project Bread's FoodSource Hotline: call or text 1-800-645-8333 for assistance.
Check for low-cost leftovers and/or sign up your business to reduce food waste via Too Good to Go.
Support the United Response Fund or check to see if your community organization is eligible to receive funding.
Sign up to make or receive lasagna in your local community via Lasagna Love.
Get involved, connect, and volunteer to make prepared meals on the North Shore with Root.
If you manage a farm or food retail location, connect with these organizations to donate surplus food: Spoonfuls, MassGrown Exchange, Boston Area Gleaners, Food for Free, and Food Link.
If you have the means, many grocery stores have donation boxes at their exits. If you’re able, consider picking up one additional item each time you shop.
Food pantry donations should be shelf-stable nonperishable food items, like dry and canned goods that haven’t reached their sell-by date. Consider donating items like peanut butter, canned fish, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta, rice, and pantry staples. Avoid glass jars for safety reasons. Check out Feeding America for more in-depth suggestions.
To keep up to date on developments about the status of SNAP and other government services during the federal government shutdown, check this webpage run by the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation.
This upcoming cutoff reminds us all that hunger is a constant, year-round issue for many people. Food security should never be used as a political bargaining chip, but that is exactly what’s happening—the USDA has issued a warning that there will be insufficient funds to keep running SNAP starting on November 1 if the government shutdown continues. Despite the fact that the Trump Administration and their allies control all three branches of the government, the USDA website is topped with a warning banner that blames Democrats for the shutdown and the ending of SNAP. This banner claims that Democrats are demanding healthcare for “gender mutilation procedures” and insists that Democrats are the reason why “mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us” are being denied “critical nutrition assistance.”
In addition to the funding lapse, the eligibility requirements for SNAP will become stricter on November 1st, including the addition of more onerous work requirements and an increase in paperwork individuals must file. Such changes will affect approximately 150,000 Massachusetts residents. These new regulations are a direct result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed on July 4, 2025), the purpose of which comes straight from Project 2025 (see page 299, section “Reform SNAP” and the Project 2025 Tracker). SNAP provides more than $210 million a month in federal funding to Massachusetts, and while state governments like ours will be hard-pressed to make up that difference on their own, people have already started coming together with their communities to help those in need. Ongoing community involvement and participation in mutual aid is needed now more than ever. Thank you for joining us and showing up however you can.
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