Government shutdown and SNAP benefits

UPDATE 11/10/2025

Full SNAP benefits in Massachusetts have been distributed to those who missed payments last week. The state says these benefits are active and immediately available, and residents can use them now to purchase food.

The State’s Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) says households that normally get funds on the 10th through the 14th of the month will get full benefits on their normal date this week, barring further action from the administration and courts.

We encourage SNAP recipients to monitor the DTA website for continuing updates: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/november-2025-snap-updates

Our Food Pantry remains OPEN to those who need it. Please see https://interfaithsocialservices.org/food/ for more information about the towns that we serve, the hours we are open and what you should bring with you if you are visiting for the first time.

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UPDATE 11/4/2025

The government said Monday that it will partially fund SNAP for the month of November. They will use an emergency fund, which will cover about half of normal benefits.

We are not yet sure how much SNAP recipients will receive, or when the funds will be deposited on EBT cards. The USDA has said that it can take some time to figure out how to send out reduced benefits.

Each month, Massachusetts families, seniors and disabled individuals use the SNAP program to purchase approximately $240 million of groceries. That burden has now shifted to food pantries. Even with a partial release of SNAP funds it still leaves food pantries on the hook for half of the groceries that would have been purchased by individuals who depend on this vital resource. We hope and pray that our elected officials reach a resolution on this topic soon.

FOR CLIENTS:

The Food Pantry remains OPEN and we continue to serve clients once every 30 days. We ask for your patience as you visit this month, as we anticipate being very busy.

For those visiting our pantry for the first time, please see https://interfaithsocialservices.org/food/ for details on the towns that we serve, the hours we are open and what you should bring with you in order to register.

Other Food resources to utilize:

• The FoodSource Hotline provides a full list of food assistance resources in Massachusetts: 1 (800) 645-8333
• State funded programs will continue normally. Residents can still access WIC.
• Children are still able to access FREE breakfast and lunch at public schools on school days.
• If you have at least 1 cent on your EBT card, you can access the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) to buy produce from local farm vendors. More information here: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-healthy-incentives-program-hip-frequently-asked-questions

HOW TO HELP:

We are still very much in need of monetary donations to purchase fresh, healthy foods for our neighbors in need.

Cash donations allow us to remain flexible and efficient – we can purchase what we need, when we need it.

DONATE NOW

While we prefer monetary gifts at this time, we ask that if you do decide to donate non-perishables to us, please do so within our open hours. Please do not leave food at our doors outside of business hours, as it attracts pests.

The non-perishable donations that are most helpful right now are pasta, pasta sauce, 1 or 2 pound bags of rice, boxes of cereal, diapers, and pads & tampons.

Food Donation Hours:
Monday 12:30–3:30pm
Tuesday 12:30–7pm
Wednesday 12:30–3:30pm
Thursday 12:30–7pm
Friday 12:30–3:30pm
Saturday 10am–3:30pm

UPDATE 10/29/2025

Please take a minute to watch this message from our executive director, Rick Doane.

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POSTED 10/27/2025 – 9am

We are closely monitoring the federal government shutdown and its effect on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  More than 1 million Massachusetts residents, including 300,000 children, currently receive these benefits (16% of MA residents).

The USDA has posted a notice on its website saying federal food aid will not go out Nov. 1. It is unclear whether Massachusetts will use the “Rainy Day” fund to make up the difference in SNAP benefits until the shutdown ends. We are awaiting more information.

FOR CLIENTS

Our Food Pantry is OPEN and currently serving clients. We are privately funded and do not receive funds from the federal government.

We are encouraging all our clients to reach out to the FoodSource Hotline to get a full list of food assistance resources available to them. They will provide you with all of the pantries and meal programs that you are eligible for.  1 (800) 645-8333

We ask for your patience as you visit our Food Pantry and other food programs.

If you are visiting for the first time, please visit our Food Pantry web page to get full information on what to bring with you and what to expect at your visit: https://interfaithsocialservices.org/food/#foodassistance Information is available in several languages.

HOW TO HELP

We need you! The best way to support our Food Pantry at this time is through financial donations. We anticipate needing to purchase a much higher volume of food in the next month. With our partnerships, our purchasing power goes far beyond than the average grocery store consumer and we’re able to make your dollar stretch much, much further.

We pride ourselves on providing fresh, healthy food to our client families and will continue to do so. Funds are needed to purchase proteins, fruits and vegetables, milk & eggs, alongside the pantry basics. We greatly appreciate any support you are able to give. https://interfaithsocialservices.org/food/?form=donate