In a quiet grocery aisle outside Columbus, 29-year-old barista Elena Ruiz checks her EBT balance with a mix of hope and dread.
“Ohio’s talking options, that’s something,” she says, sliding a bag of rice into her cart. “But California’s full stop? My sister is panicking for her kids.”
As the federal government shutdown stretches into day 29 on October 29, 2025, states are mounting a desperate scramble to keep Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits flowing to more than 42 million Americans.
Ohio is exploring ways to use surplus “rainy-day” funds as a temporary bridge, while California has warned of a complete halt in CalFresh benefits, SNAP’s state version for 4.5 million residents, beginning November 1. The $8 billion monthly program has been frozen by congressional gridlock, forcing governors to improvise as federal aid stalls.
Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration is weighing a plan to tap the state’s budget surplus to reimburse providers for November SNAP allotments, potentially covering 1.4 million residents.
“This is essential relief to prevent an immediate hunger crisis,” a DeWine spokesperson said at an October 27 briefing, adding that the move could extend benefits through December if approved by lawmakers.
Anti-hunger groups, including Feeding America, praised the approach as a “model for fiscal compassion.” For Ruiz, who receives about $400 monthly in assistance, it’s personal:
“It’s not forever, but it’s food on the table while Washington sorts itself out.”
In stark contrast, California’s Department of Social Services issued an alert on October 20, warning that, without new federal funds, CalFresh benefits will stop on November 1.
“We’re out of options without Washington,” said Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the state’s Health and Human Services secretary, projecting a 30% spike in food bank demand and higher ER visits linked to malnutrition.
Ruiz’s sister in Los Angeles, a single mother of three, has already begun rationing:
“No SNAP means no milk, no fruit, just pasta again.”
California’s contingency reserves have been diverted to other programs, leaving CalFresh without backup, according to internal state memos reviewed by CNN.
Across the country, states are improvising as federal funding lapses:
| State | Enrollees | Projected Cutoff | Regional Hit | Local Buffer |
| CA | 4.5M | Nov. 1 | Urban food deserts | Limited reserves |
| TX | 3.5M | Post-Oct. 27 | Border, rural gaps | Emergency calls |
| NY | 3M | Nov. 1 | City renewal delays | Partial match |
| FL | 3M | Nov. 1 | Post-hurricane zones | Faith pantries |
| SC | 500K | Nov. 1 | Child nutrition spikes | File holds |
Source: State DSS/USDA. Roughly 25 million recipients face disruption nationwide.
In New York, officials warn of “imminent risk” to 3 million recipients as Gov. Kathy Hochul seeks emergency loans. Texas, with 3.5 million enrollees, has already begun pausing post-October 27 issuances.
Illinois and Pennsylvania are bracing for freezes affecting nearly 4 million combined, while South Carolina’s Department of Social Services projects a full November blackout for 500,000 residents, one in seven.
Online, parents in Houston share posts titled “Empty Carts Come November,” echoing warnings from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities that hunger could surge 20–30% if the shutdown drags on. Politico reports at least 25 states are now “in the crosshairs.”
For Ruiz, it comes down to what she calls “math minus mercy.” Her $400 SNAP card keeps her family afloat; without it, school lunches double as dinner.
“We’re invisible,” she says. “D.C. fights, we fast.”
Advocates are urging residents to check EBT balances, call 211 for food aid, and pressure representatives to approve a clean continuing resolution before the week’s end.
As one advocate put it:
“Hunger shouldn’t be a bargaining chip. Ohio showed leadership, now others must follow.”
