Floridians to lose SNAP benefits Nov. 1 from government shutdown: What to know

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - SNAP benefits won't be administered November 1 due to the government shutdown.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is administered through the Florida Department of Children and Families – which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This department is affected by the government shutdown.

What we know:

"Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats," the Food and Nutrition Service said in part on its website.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the government has emergency funds to keep SNAP running in November, but is choosing not to use them.

BREAKING: @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom and @AGRobBonta are suing the Trump Admin for unlawfully withholding food assistance from 5.5 million Californians during the federal shutdown.

The USDA has emergency funds to keep SNAP running in November but is choosing not to use them —… pic.twitter.com/3qcRoePYRJ
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) October 28, 2025

What is a government shutdown?

The backstory:

Government shutdowns happen when policymakers fail to agree on the following years’ – 2026 – appropriation funding bills. At the end of the fiscal year – Sept. 30 – congress has until midnight to reach a consensus on 12 bills to avoid a lapse in government funding.

So far, the government has shut down 19 times, since 1977, the House of Representatives reported.

Currently, the government has been shut down for 29 days.

FILE - "SNAP/EBT Food Stamp Benefits Accepted" is displayed on a screen inside a Family Dollar Stores Inc. store in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., on March 3, 2020. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

What are SNAP benefits?

SNAP is a federal program that provides food assistance to 40 million low-income people. The money is on prepaid cards that they can use for groceries. Floridians can apply for SNAP benefits on the Florida Department of Children and Families website.

Who's eligible for SNAP?

SNAP is open to families who are U.S. citizens, legal residents and people with a qualified immigration status. People 60+ and disabled may have a higher income and still qualify.

People walk through the produce department at a grocery store in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

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How the government shutdown affects Floridians receiving SNAP

By the numbers:

SNAP benefits, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, won't be administered in November due to Congress not agreeing on funding allocations for the 2026 fiscal year.

About 2.98 million Floridians received SNAP in May 2024. In the 2022 fiscal year, over two million Floridians participated in SNAP, including 1.1 million children under 18-years-old and over 200,000 adults under 60 with disabilities.

2022 SNAP numbers:

2,771,346 total SNAP participants
1,135,876 children
256,638 adults under 60 with disabilities
684,471 people over 60

During this time, the eligible members will receive notices of their amount of benefits, but won't have money distributed through EBT cards.

FILE IMAGE - A woman looking at packets of sausages in a grocery store. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Are October benefits impacted?

No, the government shutdown does not affect October SNAP benefits.

Womelsdorf, PA - April 8: Boyer's cashier Kathryn Laudermilch scans a customers groceries. At the Boyer's Food Markets grocery store in Womelsdorf Thursday afternoon April 8, 2021. (Photo by Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)

Will new applicants be processed?

New applications for SNAP will still be processed, but benefits won't be disbursed in November. Those applying are asked not to reapply as this could slow down the processing of benefits.