About 705,000 households in Georgia that depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will not see their benefits on Nov. 1 because of the ongoing federal government shutdown, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
SNAP, also known as food stamps, provides financial assistance to low-income individuals and families to buy groceries. It is a federally funded program managed by the USDA.
Recipients who were issued benefits before Nov. 1 will still be able to use those at any SNAP authorized retailer.
Georgia Department of Human Resources releases statement:
The Georgia Department of Human Resources says it received guidance Friday evening from the USDA on how the federal government shutdown will affect SNAP benefits in November.
A handwritten sign advertises that “Food Stamps (EBT)” are accepted at a convenience store in Chelsea, Massachusetts, on Oct. 24, 2025.
“At this time, SNAP recipients can use existing funds on their EBT cards, but based on current USDA guidance, cards will not work beginning November 1, 2025,” Georgia Department of Human Resources wrote. “Recipients should plan ahead now and shop for needed items.”
How many people will lose SNAP benefits in Georgia?
According to AJC, this will affect more than 1.3 million Georgians.
How long has the government been shutdown?
The government shutdown, now the second-longest in U.S. history, is now on day 30.
The shutdown began when Senate Democrats rejected a Republican funding bill that didn’t include additional funding for healthcare and other key programs.
When the government shuts down, most federal agencies are forced to close or scale back operations because Congress has not approved new funding.
Republican-led Department of Agriculture blames Democrats
The USDA highlighted the stakes, addressing the funding deadlock by blaming Democrats at the top of its website:
“Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”
The Montgomery Advertiser contributed to this article.
Vanessa Countryman is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Will I lose SNAP benefits in Georgia on November 1st? What to know
