MADISON — Wisconsin families will receive their November food assistance payments after a federal court ordered the Trump administration to release SNAP funding.
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Gov. Tony Evers announced the state moved immediately to pay full November payments for all Wisconsin FoodShare members.
The Trump administration had directed states to suspend food assistance payments due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. That left nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites without access to basic food and groceries, including 270,000 children.
Wisconsin FoodShare ran out of funding on Nov. 1.
A federal court initially ordered the Trump administration last Friday to release partial funding by Wednesday; however, no payments went out.
On Thursday, a federal court ordered the administration to fully fund SNAP benefits for November by Friday.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says benefits should be available to FoodShare members overnight.
Evers says Wisconsinites should never have been without food assistance.
“After Wisconsinites and folks across the country were left scrambling and trying to figure out how to put food on their tables without critical food assistance because of the Trump Administration, I’m hopeful that the nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites, including kids, will be able to receive their November FoodShare payments in full and will not have to wake up tomorrow worried about when or whether they are going to eat next," Evers said. "It was damn important that we can get this done and moved as quickly as we could, and that’s what we’re doing."
Evers declared a state of emergency last Friday in response to the shutdown. His executive order prohibits price gouging due to the loss of FoodShare funding.
Any Wisconsinite who needs additional food or infant formula for their house or family can reach out to 211 for information and referrals to local services. Anyone can use 211 to get help by:
- Dialing 211 or 877-947-2211.
- Visiting their website at 211wisconsin.communityos.org . Through the website, people can search for services or chat with someone online who can help.
- Texting their ZIP code to 898211.
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