[NC Local] SNAP Food Assistance is Set to End Nov 1. What Does It Mean for NC?

Originally published by NC Local.

By Diara Townes, NCLocal
Oct. 30, 2025

WHAT IS SNAP?

SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is the nation’s largest food assistance program. It has provided assistance since 1964. The federally-funded program supports nearly 42 million households with limited incomes, including about 1.4 million people in North Carolina. 

In North Carolina, SNAP recipients must make below a set income limit. For a single person, the limit is $2,610 per month in pre-tax wages. For a family of four, the maximum monthly income to be eligible is $5,360 pre-tax. Recipients must be legal residents or citizens, and undocumented people are not eligible.

SNAP benefits are managed by the state’s Division of Social Services and administered locally. Each of the state’s 100 counties has its own Department of Social Services (DSS) agency that distributes benefits to residents.

From October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023, the nation’s state agencies received about $90 billion in SNAP benefits. States receive funds from the federal government on a monthly basis and then distribute those funds through local government to eligible people through an EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) card, which works like a debit card. Recipients can use EBT cards to buy grocery items like fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products.

WHAT HAPPENED? 

Congress has to pass a budget plan by Oct. 1, the beginning of the fiscal year. This year, lawmakers did not meet the deadline and remain gridlocked. Without a spending measure, the government shut down. While some essential services continue (such as law enforcement), many federal employees are either furloughed or working without receiving pay.

Because of the shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the agency that administers SNAP funding, announced that 42 million Americans across the country will not receive their benefits in November. It is the first time in the program's history that benefits have halted.

The agency has declined to use approximately $5 billion in emergency funds, which could cover two-thirds of the costs of the program. The Trump administration said using these funds would be illegal because the shutdown is not an emergency. Democrats say withholding the money is illegal.

This week, North Carolina State Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined 25 other state leaders in suing the Department of Agriculture and the Office of Management and Budget. The lawsuit asks the court to force the Department to use the contingency money to fund SNAP in November. A judge will hear the issue on Thursday morning. 

WHO THIS AFFECTS

SNAP touches nearly every corner of North Carolina. About 1.4 million people receive food assistance in the state, including about 580,000 children, of which more than 40,000 are under 18 months old. The average state benefit is about $200 per person or $373 per household each month. 

• One in eight residents relies on SNAP.
• Four in five SNAP families include a child, senior, or adult with a disability.
• More than 46,000 veterans in North Carolina use SNAP.
• Rural areas feel it most: one in six rural or small-town residents uses SNAP, compared to one in nine in metro areas.

SNAP also supports the state’s food economy. About 84% of benefits are spent in local grocery stores and farmers’ markets. If SNAP dollars dry up, these stores — and the families who depend on them — will feel the strain.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE SHUTDOWN ENDS?

Even if the shutdown concludes or the Department uses contingency money to continue funding SNAP, there are still issues with the program on the horizon.

On July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed into law HR1, nicknamed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which reduced federal support for SNAP, shifting billions of dollars in costs to states. 

Until now, the federal government has paid the full cost of benefits and about half the cost of running the program. 

Starting in 2027, the federal share will shrink to 25%, leaving North Carolina and its counties to cover the rest.

In North Carolina, families could receive fewer benefits, experience stricter rules, or both. 

In 2024, NC families received $2.8 billion in SNAP benefits. Covering even 5% of that cost would require $140 million in state funds each year. At 25%, the state would need to come up with $700 million, money the current budget doesn’t contain. Without it, officials warn that benefits could shrink and eligibility could tighten.

The new law also eliminated SNAP-Ed, a program that taught families how to stretch their food dollars and make healthy choices. 

The new law also changes who must work to qualify. Adults ages 55–64 and parents with children 14 and older face work requirements. Veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and young adults leaving foster care also lose their long-standing exemptions.

WHAT CAN I DO

If you receive SNAP and are concerned about the Nov. 1 cuts, there are resources.

United Way NC 211 is a service that provides people with a connection to food and other resources. Enter your location here. 

If you need benefits and have not yet applied, you can apply (or reapply) for SNAP benefits online at epass.nc.gov, in-person or via mail at your local Department of Social Services office. State authorities encourage people to continue applying, even during the shutdown, so that they can receive assistance once the shutdown ends.

Counties will be on the front lines of these changes, so stay in touch with your local DSS to understand what new rules may apply to your household.

Find your county's social services contact information here.

Local nonprofit organizations that help fill the gap are also under pressure and say they need contributions to help meet the high demand.

Get Help

• Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina: a nonprofit organization that provides food across 34 central NC counties.
• Counties – NCACDSS:  Find your local office and contact your director.
• The NC State Cooperative Extension: Offers county-level programs to support food access and nutrition.
• Food Access Research Atlas | Economic Research Service
• NC Rural Center
• NC211.org

Give Help

• Feeding the Carolinas: Regional network of food banks in Central NC.
• Inter-Faith Food Shuttle: Raleigh-based nonprofit tackling hunger through meal prep, meal delivery, community gardens, and food pantries. (Volunteer or donate)
• MANNA FoodBank – A Western NC food bank that partners with pantries, shelters, and meal providers to distribute more than 50,000 pounds of food daily to neighbors in need.

This article first appeared on NCLocal and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.