Delaware announces temporary state-run SNAP funds: When to expect payment

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DOVER, Del. - Delaware announced a temporary relief program for residents missing on Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits this November, and payments are expected to start going out by the end of the week.

First State Food Relief Funds

What we know:

Last week, Delaware Gov. Matthew Meyer issued a state of emergency because of the interruption to benefits. The program announced Wednesday, called First State Food Relief Funds, will be a state-run fill-in, at least for the month of November.

The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services will administer the program. It works slightly differently from SNAP, but the benefits will go to the same people. 

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Instead of receiving funds for the entire month, the First State Food Relief Funds will issue 25% of your normal monthly SNAP allocation through weekly payments to your EBT card. The first payments are expected to go out on Friday, Nov. 7, though state officials warn that it may take several days to see the payments reflected in your account balance.

EBT cardholders can check their balance with the ConnectEBT app, at ConnectEBT.com, or by calling 1-800-526-9099.

How many people are on SNAP in Delaware?

By the numbers:

SNAP provides assistance to more than 41 million people across the country. In Delaware, more than 120,000 people, or roughly 1 in 8 Delawareans, receive SNAP benefits.

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The backstory:

The federal government has been shut down for more than a month. It's the longest shutdown in American history. 

SNAP is funded by the federal government and managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

The USDA said it had planned to freeze payments starting Nov. 1 because it said it could no longer keep funding it during the shutdown. Then last week, two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration must at least partially fund SNAP through November. 

While President Donald Trump said on Truth Social Tuesday that benefits would not be paid until the shutdown ends, Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said in her press briefing that the administration is fully complying with the court order, using a contingency fund to restore benefits. 

When will SNAP payments return?

What we don't know:

Whenever SNAP gets funding again, whether temporarily from the contingency fund or after the government reopens, it's not clear how long it will take for money to start hitting people's accounts. 

As far as Delaware's state-funded program, payments for now are only guaranteed for the month of November. If the federal government reopens before the end of November, the state will stop issuing funds. However, if the government stays shut down, it's not clear if state-issued payments will continue.