Emerson Pieper, contributor

According to MPR News, approximately 440,000 Minnesotans rely on food assistance programs. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a crucial resource to tens of millions of low-income households. It is the largest anti-hunger organization in the United States that aims to address food insecurity. It has evolved its eligibility in the past to ensure that more families in need qualify for the assistance so many rely heavily on. 

However, on Nov. 1, SNAP benefits had officially been suspended due to the ongoing government shutdown after the Medicaid disagreement. The Senate passed a resolution to reopen the government, where voting took place on Nov. 12. The funding bill then proceeded onto the House and later the president, who signed it, officially ending the government shutdown. 

Regardless, some states have gotten around this problem; Minnesota, Connecticut, and New Mexico among other states, have prepared to issue out full SNAP benefits to families from their emergency state funding this month, at least until the shut-down has been resolved. This means that families living in those states should be getting their usual amounts of funds on their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards (EBT) for November. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities organization has stated that the funds being put onto an EBT card depend on family size; the maximum funds for a family of eight sits at $1,756, which does not count that each additional member in the household adds around $220.

This suspension caused states to change the eligibility requirements, making their eligibility requirements harder to meet. Households are still able to access any remaining funds on their EBT cards, but states have been ordered to issue out only 65% of what they usually give out for this month, as the payments were, according to CBS News, “unauthorized.” Because of this, CNBC is saying that this means any states that have already sent out the full funds this month are being told to “undo” the extra amount of funds. 

CBS News has reported that judges have ordered President Trump to use the money that is set aside for contingencies to fund SNAP, but President Trump is arguing that the money is meant only for situations like natural disasters. This news has raised concern and outrage among citizens who are struggling to figure out what to do without the help of SNAP.

Regardless, as of Nov. 11, the Supreme Court has officially announced that President Trump can temporarily continue to withhold funds on the full amount of federal food assistance benefits for the entirety of the month of November.

“As someone whose family relies on SNAP to be able to afford food, diapers, and baby formula, I genuinely don’t know what we would do if SNAP shut down as it was meant to,” said one Augsburg student when asked about the situation. Luckily for Augsburg students, Zinnia Koy has found a way to continue helping students to learn more about SNAP eligibility and food assistance. Students can find a QR code on Campus Cupboard flyers around campus that will take them to a survey to find out if they qualify, at which point they will then be referred to a partnering organization, Second Harvest, or they will be connected with Fiona Smith, a SNAP application specialist.