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All Hands on Deck

Tomorrow, SNAP benefits will not go out for the first time in the program’s history. This is a dire situation for Iowans facing food insecurity and emergency feeding organizations, as November is already typically the busiest month of the year at food pantries.

In anticipation of this unprecedented surge in hunger and food insecurity and the need for emergency food assistance through the state’s nonprofit food banks and food pantries, nearly 100 frontline emergency feeding organizations joined together on Wednesday to discuss rapid response options available to try to meet their communities needs. One thing was clear from this conversation: without additional support from the state or federal government, food pantries and food banks across Iowa will be unable to meet the increased demand from their communities when SNAP funds run out. 

It is critical that we stand together and take action to support our neighbors, friends, and families across Iowa who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. 

Take Action Today!

  1. Reach out to your local hunger-fighting organization and ask how you can help.
  • Donations: If you’re able, financial gifts can make a big difference, allowing organizations to purchase in bulk at reduced rates. The Governor has announced $1 million in matching funds for donations to Iowa’s six Feeding America food banks, starting November 3rd. Please don’t forget direct financial support to your local frontline food pantry, food rescue organization, soup kitchen, or other hunger-fighting effort.
  • Food Drives: When hosting a food drive, reach out and ask for a list of most-needed items. Considering specific food drives for culturally appropriate foods and alternatives to meet specific medical and dietary needs for people who will be unable to purchase these items with SNAP.

  • Volunteering: Organizations will need additional help with daily food pantry operations, stocking, food sorting, deliveries, and more.
  1. Spread awareness and resources, not panic.
  • There have been many rumors and misinformation circulating, in part due to USDA’s delay in issuing clear guidance to states. Be sure to share reliable information and correct any myths you may see on social media.
  1. Document harm and advocate for the release of SNAP contingency funds.

Most important of all: show love, respect, and solidarity with people experiencing hunger and food insecurity across the state. We are in unprecedented times. It’s more vital now than ever to check in on your neighbors, treat people with grace, and do what we can to help out.

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Bracing for the SNAP Shutdown: What We Know and What You Can Do

It is becoming increasingly likely that benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will not go out November 1st. This would be an unprecedented event in the history of SNAP. Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, 270,000 Iowans could fail to see a collective $45 million in SNAP benefits hit their EBT cards at the start of November. This would be devastating to Iowans facing food insecurity, the food supply chain, the nonprofit sector, and local economies in urban and rural communities across the state. And it’s still entirely avoidable.

What We Know

On October 10, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) sent a memo to state agencies, informing them that USDA did not have enough funding to fully cover the cost of November’s SNAP benefits, and directed states not to send SNAP benefit issuance files to their payment processors.

One week later, on October 17, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services issued a statement “alerting Iowans who use SNAP that due to the federal shutdown continuing, there is a possibility that November benefits will not be issued onto cards.” On Thursday, October 23, Governor Kim Reynolds put out a statement calling on congress to end the shutdown to ensure SNAP benefits are not disrupted.

According to an analysis out this week by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, federal law directs the Secretary of Agriculture to use SNAP contingency funds to issue partial benefits to states in the event that full benefits cannot be issued. While it’s unclear exactly how much USDA has in SNAP contingency funding, it should be enough to pay a “substantial share of the approximately $8 billion needed for a full month of benefits,” according to CBPP. However, the USDA does not appear to be taking any steps to distribute partial November benefits at this time.

In Iowa, SNAP benefits are issued onto EBT cards on the 1st through the 10th of the month. Even after the federal government re-opens, it will likely take a few days to issue SNAP benefits to Iowans who had their assistance delayed. There’s a lot that we still don’t know because USDA FNS has not yet issued guidance or answered questions about some incredibly consequential decisions that are just days away. 

What about WIC?

According to USDA, WIC has enough funding to last through the end of October. This is due in part to actions taken to direct $300 million in tariff revenue toward WIC funding. The future of federal WIC funding is less clear as we move into November.

Thankfully, the state of Iowa is one of only a handful of states that has been willing to step in to cover the costs of WIC funding in the event of a lapse in federal funding. USDA has informed states they can be reimbursed for any costs covered with state dollars once the shutdown is over.

What You Can Do

Ultimately, Congress needs to end the shutdown so SNAP, WIC, and other critical nutrition benefits can go out to the Iowans who need them. So what can you do right now?

Are You a SNAP Participant?

  • Get the latest news on how your SNAP benefits may be impacted in November. Sign up to receive updates on November SNAP benefits from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.

  • We want to hear directly from you. What does the SNAP shutdown mean for your family? Complete this short online form to share your SNAP story.

  • Contact your members of Congress (see below) and share your SNAP story directly with them. Let them know how their decisions are impacting your life!

  • Locate a food pantry in your area to find emergency food assistance near you.

Contact Your Members of Congress:

  • Call your members of Congress and tell them to work with USDA and the White House to find additional dollars to cover SNAP and WIC funding for November, or at the very least issue partial SNAP benefits as required by law. If you’re not sure who your U.S. House Representative is, you can find out here.

📞 Senator Chuck Grassley: (202) 224-3744

📞 Senator Joni Ernst: (202) 224-3254

📞 Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, 1st District: (202) 225-6576

📞 Rep. Ashley Hinson, 2nd District: (202) 225-2911

📞 Rep. Zach Nunn, 3rd District: (202) 225-5476

📞 Rep. Randy Feenstra, 4th District: (202) 225-4426

Contact the Governor’s Office:

  • Thank Governor Reynolds for stepping up to ensure Iowans’ uninterrupted access to WIC during this extraordinary time, and encourage her to continue doing so.

  • You can call the Governor’s office at (515) 281-5211 or share your opinion online.

Support Your Local Food Bank, Food Pantry, or Anti-Hunger Organization:

  • November is already typically the busiest month at food pantries. If SNAP benefits do not go out for November, organizations will truly be facing an unprecedented level of need.

  • Give what you can – your money, your time, your food. Reach out to your local organization and ask for the best way to help.

Questions? Reach out to us at iowahungercoalition@gmail.com.