OREGON FOOD BANK: Today, Nov. 1st, over 750,000 Oregonians lost SNAP benefits

By Andrea Williams, President, Oregon Food Bank

Two federal judges ruled yesterday, October 31, 2025 that the federal administration cannot suspend SNAP benefits and ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use contingency funds to keep the program running. However, without clear next steps from the administration, SNAP funding has expired. This is devastating for 750,000 Oregonians who rely on these benefits to buy food.

Families already stretching every dollar may run out of food before their next paycheck. Older adults and people with disabilities could face impossible choices between groceries, rent and medicine.

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has declared a state of emergency and issued $5 million for food assistance. However, the state is limited and cannot match the $140 million gap in SNAP benefits that Oregon families would typically rely on this month. And no food bank can replace SNAP. For every meal we provide, SNAP provides nine.

Nonetheless, Oregon Food Bank and our network of partners are bracing to extend emergency relief.

You can also urge our federal leaders to fund SNAP now.

Hunger is a policy choice. Congress provided roughly $5 billion in contingency funds for SNAP, specifically for situations like this government shutdown. By choosing not to use these funds, our federal government is choosing hunger.

Call on federal leaders and the USDA to distribute these necessary funds immediately.

TAKE ACTION

Although we may not have the collective power and wealth of the federal government, in Oregon, we have proven time and again that we do not let hunger happen to our neighbors.
Thank you for your passion, action and love for one another that make our home such a special place, for everyone, where nobody goes hungry.

SOME WAYS TO HELP

Your gift to Oregon Food Bank helps us get more food through our network, which is already stretched with USDA cuts.

While Oregon Food Bank is not facilitating small food drives (why?), some of our regional and local partners may be. Check their webpages to learn how you can support their efforts.

Support the Regional Food Bank (RFB) in our network that is nearest to you.