Getting Help During the Federal SNAP Disruption

Following the end of the government shutdown, Rhode Island received updated guidance from the USDA confirming that SNAP operations will return to business as usual. All SNAP recipients in Rhode Island already had access to their full November benefits ahead of the shutdown’s end — and that will not change. December benefits will be issued at the normal amount and on the regular schedule.

We thank our dedicated staff and community partners for their hard work during this challenging period to ensure no one went without support. And to Rhode Islanders who rely on these benefits, thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigated this rapidly evolving federal situation.

PROVIDENCE, RI — The McKee Administration worked to ensure the issuance of full SNAP benefits for approximately 79,000 households for the month of November. Those benefits are currently accessible on recipients’ EBT cards.  

Governor McKee issued the following statement: 

“The Trump Administration continues to fight its SNAP funding obligation in the courts, creating unnecessary uncertainty for states and the families who rely on this support. Unlike the Trump Administration, my Administration recognizes that that is a crisis for families and is not shirking its responsibility to help those in need. 

“That is why we are actively working on contingency plans if the USDA reneges on its Friday afternoon memo positioning states to provide 100% of SNAP benefits this month rather than a partial payment.  

“Let’s be clear: the uncertainty here lies entirely with President Trump. The President has intentionally created chaos for states across the country—playing games with people’s ability to feed their families, weaponizing hunger, and gaslighting the American people. It’s inhumane. 

“We can’t predict President Trump and his reckless decisions, but we can control our response. My team is working through the weekend on contingency options to protect Rhode Islanders against President Trump’s volatility.”   

PROVIDENCE, RI — Governor Dan McKee today issued the following statement on SNAP:

"Another day, another whipsaw SNAP memo from President Trump’s USDA, sowing confusion and making threats but offering no solutions for hungry Americans. Nevertheless, my team is preparing contingency strategies to support November benefits. We have reached out directly to Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) within USDA related to the latest federal communication. At this time, recipients’ EBT cards remain active, and we are seeing Rhode Islanders successfully using those cards. 

"I am disgusted by the chaos and hardship that President Trump and his Administration continue to create across the country. While states have been forced to navigate a series of conflicting and erratic directives around SNAP benefits, Rhode Islanders, and all Americans, have been anxious, confused—and hungry. 

First, the Trump Administration announced that states would receive only a 50% calculation of November SNAP benefits. The next day, it revised that guidance to a 65% calculation. Then, on Friday, it issued a memo positioning states to move forward with full benefit payments, notifying states that USDA would “complete the processes necessary to make funds available.” Yet, just hours later, the Trump Administration sought a stay of its SNAP funding obligation in the Supreme Court without ever notifying the Court of the Friday USDA memo. And now, USDA has reversed course again, directing states not to move forward with the 100% benefit, with full knowledge that many states, like Rhode Island, had already proceeded with full benefits in reliance on the Friday memo. 

"This constant back-and-forth has created unnecessary confusion for states and deep uncertainty for families who depend on these critical benefits to put food on the table. We will continue to keep Rhode Islanders updated." 

For information on SNAP benefits in Rhode Island and other resources, SNAPsupport.ri.gov. 

PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee today announced that Rhode Island is moving forward with the process to access full federal SNAP benefits for the month of November.

 This announcement follows a notification from USDA this afternoon that stated additional funds would be made available to allow states to provide the full issuance of November SNAP benefits, in compliance with the federal district court’s November 6 ruling.

“This is encouraging progress, especially for Rhode Islanders who have been struggling with food security this month,” said Governor Dan McKee. “But make no mistake: President Trump manufactured this SNAP crisis. At every turn, he made it harder for states to access these critical contingency funds, ignoring the fact that families are going hungry. These funds should have been released by President Trump long before the court order. If he had, Rhode Islanders would already have the crucial food assistance they rely on.”

Governor McKee continued, “I want to thank every Rhode Islander who stepped up and joined us in supporting our neighbors in need.”

The state’s EBT vendor anticipates these funds will be deposited onto cards as early as this weekend. For directions on checking your EBT card balance, visit SNAPSupport.RI.Gov. We will continue to keep Rhode Islanders updated.  

Last night at 9:30 p.m., states received new guidance from USDA on calculating the partial SNAP payments ordered by the courts last week. Because of this change, calculations that were already in progress under the original federal guidance must now be recalculated.

After creating this SNAP crisis, President Trump and his administration continue to present states with unnecessary barriers in implementing these critical benefits swiftly. These funds should have been released long before the court order, with a single, straightforward set of guidance that ensured recipients received the maximum benefits possible.

Despite these ongoing changes from the USDA, our team at the Rhode Island Department of Human Services is working urgently to complete calculations in compliance with the latest federal guidance.  We understand how critical these benefits are to Rhode Islanders and will continue to provide updates as the process moves forward.”

Background: 

Initial reporting suggested that all recipients would receive 50% of their monthly benefit. When states received guidance from USDA on November 4, that turned out to be inaccurate. The guidance dictated that after the 50% reduction in benefits, 30% of a household’s net monthly income would be subtracted from the reduced benefit allotment, which would have resulted in some recipients receiving no benefits at all.

Under the revised federal guidance received last night at 9:30 p.m., the top threshold for partial benefits has increased from 50% to 65%. However, the USDA formula still subtracts 30% of a household’s net monthly income from the reduced benefit. Payments will vary by household based on income and benefit level.

Our administration is also monitoring the courts for any SNAP-related rulings.

This week, federal judges ruled that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must use existing contingency funds to partially pay SNAP benefits during the federal government shutdown. 

Despite initial reporting that all recipients would receive a uniform 50% of their regular monthly benefit as a result of this court ruling, this will not be the case as the formula that USDA is requiring states to follow is more complicated.  

Under that formula, payments will vary by household based on income and benefit level. After the 50% benefit reduction, the formula subtracts 30% of a household’s net monthly income from the already reduced benefit allotment. 

After manufacturing this crisis, the President Trump and his administration continue to present states with barriers to easily implement these critical benefits. Our team at the Department of Human Services is moving quickly to make accurate calculations in compliance with the federal regulations. We understand how important these benefits are to Rhode Islanders, and we are working urgently to move this process forward. We will continue to keep Rhode Islanders updated. 

ALERT: Any benefits on your EBT card at the end of October will be available for use in November. Your EBT card WILL NOT be shut off. Please visit this page often for the most accurate and updated information.

The RI AFL-CIO has created multiple drop-off sites for food donations. Please see the list below if you wish to donate:

DROP OFF LOCATIONS 

Rhode Island AFl-CIO
194 Smith Street, Providence, RI 02908 

1199/SEIU
319 Broadway, Providence, RI 02909 

Rhode Island Laborers District Council 
410 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903 

RI AFSCME Council 94
1179 Charles St, North Providence, RI 02904 

Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals
356 Smith St, Providence, RI 02908 

UFCW Local 328
278 Silver Spring St, Providence, RI 02904 

ATU Local 618
172 Longfellow St, Providence, RI 02907 

AAUP/URI
303 Roosevelt Hall
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881 

NEARI
99 Bald Hill Rd
Cranston, RI 02920 

Teamsters Local 251 
121 Brightridge Ave. 
East Providence, RI 02914 

If you received a yellow door hanger from the Scouts this past weekend, please place non-perishable food items on your front porch by nine a.m. this Saturday, November 1 and a Scout will be by to pick it up.

If you did not receive a door hanger this past weekend, go to scoutingforfood.org to find a drop-off location near you or make a monetary donation to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

Governor McKee issues State of Emergency, deploys up to $6 million in payments for families with children, directs $200,000 in emergency food bank support, and launches a statewide call to action to help keep Rhode Islanders fed.
Read the Governor's Press Release Here