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As federal government plans to disburse partial SNAP benefits, find local food banks and resources

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News Nutrition From DC to NC
Contents of a food box Health & Hunger coalition provides to its Food is Medicine participants. Sophia Luna/EdNC

On Nov. 1, federal food assistance payments did not go out to 1.4 million North Carolina residents due to the federal government shutdown. Then, in a court filing on Monday, the Trump administration announced plans to use $4.65 billion in emergency funds to disperse 50% Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments to the 41.7 million Americans who receive the benefits.

This filing follows rulings from two federal judges. In response to a lawsuit brought last week by 25 states and the District of Columbia, including North Carolina, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that the administration had until Nov. 3 to decide whether to pay at least reduced SNAP food benefits for November. Separately, a federal judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary restraining order that stated the Trump administration “must distribute” funds from emergency reserves to cover SNAP benefits.

Attorney General Jeff Jackson sent a press release on Monday about the Trump administration’s announcement, writing that, “My office is still reviewing the order to see what else we can do to help, but until this shutdown ends we all need to provide extra support to our local food pantries.”

Distributing partial November benefits is expected to take time as states calculate benefits for each household. “To assist State agencies with the massive changes, USDA will have staff available for technical assistance,” reads the court filing.

In the meantime, and until full SNAP payments resume, below is a look at how to find local food banks and resources.

1.4 million North Carolinians may miss SNAP payments on Nov. 1 due to federal shutdown

Resources for SNAP users

Answers to frequently asked questions about the lapse in SNAP benefits can be found here.

The state’s Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) encouraged North Carolina residents to continue applying for SNAP benefits and submit renewal paperwork on time. County departments of social services are open and processing applications to prevent backlogs, according to a press release from Gov. Josh Stein. 

People enrolled in SNAP can still use benefits currently on their EBT card. Users can check their balance through the ebtEDGE app, online at ebtEDGE.com, or by calling the number on the back of their EBT card (1-888-622-7328).

If you or your family need food resources immediately, call 2-1-1 or visit nc211.org to access local resources. 

The state’s NCDHHS website also includes a list of food banks across the state:

Feeding America also has a tool to find local food banks.

You can also call your county’s department of social services for details on local food resources. You can find their contact information here.

News Nutrition From DC to NC
Sergio Osnaya-Prieto

Sergio Osnaya-Prieto served as EdNC’s director of communications from January 2021-November 2022, and he served as a senior reporting fellow from January 2025-May 2026.

He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in public policy and journalism from the UNC Hussman School of Media and Journalism. During his time at UNC, Sergio worked on The Daily Tar Heel’s copy and online desk and became the chief copy editor in the fall of 2020. That summer, he served as the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, directing the DTH’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, UNC’s COVID-19 response, and racial justice protests. He has also worked as a reporter for Qué Pasa Media Network and a social media manager for Latino Communications.

In 2025, Sergio graduated with a Master of Public Administration degree with a specialization in international development from New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. As a graduate student, Sergio focused on labor migration and climate displacement. He served as project assistant to NYU Wagner’s Capstone co-directors, and he worked as a consultant for the United Nations Development Programme in Colombia for his own Capstone project. In the summer of 2024, he worked with the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa as a public information intern.

Sergio lived in New York City and Mexico City before moving to Raleigh in 2012, where he attended Enloe High School and Wake Technical Community College.

Analisa Sorrells Archer

Analisa Archer is the senior director of policy at EducationNC.

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