Update, 11:45 am, 10/31: Two federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to fund SNAP using the USDA's contingency funds. Read more from The Associated Press.

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10/29: More than 1 in 10 people in Washington state rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Most of those recipients are in households with children. 

And all of them will get cut off from those benefits on October 31st if the partial federal government shutdown doesn’t end by then. 

This week, Governor Ferguson said he’d direct over 2 million dollars in weekly food aid to state food banks should the shutdown continue. 

That program will start November 3rd. 

But is that enough to make up for the loss of SNAP benefits?

Guest

Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks, race and equity reporter, The Seattle Times

Related Links

WA to direct $2.2 million a week to food banks as SNAP cutoff nears  - The Seattle Times

WA SNAP benefits to run out Nov. 1 if government shutdown persists - The Seattle Times

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Update, 11:45 am, 10/31: Two federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to fund SNAP using the USDA's contingency funds. <a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-10-31-2025">Read more from The Associated Press</a>.
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 10/29: More than 1 in 10 people in Washington state rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Most of those recipients are in households with children.&nbsp;
And all of them will get cut off from those benefits <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-directs-2-2-million-a-week-to-food-banks-before-snap-cutoff/">on October 31st</a> if the partial federal government shutdown doesn&rsquo;t end by then.&nbsp;
This week, Governor Ferguson said he&rsquo;d direct over 2 million dollars in weekly food aid to state food banks should the shutdown continue.&nbsp;
That program will start November 3rd.&nbsp;
But is that enough to make up for the loss of SNAP benefits?
Guest
Alexandra Yoon-Hendricks, race and equity reporter, The Seattle Times
Related Links
<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-directs-2-2-million-a-week-to-food-banks-before-snap-cutoff/">WA to direct $2.2 million a week to food banks as SNAP cutoff nears </a>&nbsp;- The Seattle Times
<a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-snap-benefits-to-run-out-nov-1-if-government-shutdown-persists/">WA SNAP benefits to run out Nov. 1 if government shutdown persists</a> - The Seattle Times
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Local food banks say now is the time to volunteer, or give if you're able. Nearly 930,000 Washingtonians will get cut off from those benefits if the government shutdown continues.

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