Just as SNAP benefits were about to be suspended a bench ruling in Rhode Island & Boston ordered USDA to use their $5B in SNAP contingency funds to continue providing food benefits despite the government shutdown. Arizona was a plaintiff in the Boston district lawsuit.
This is a temporary fix as the $5B is expected to only last about 3 weeks (assuming the USDA complies with the order – and they may not).
SNAP helps more than 855,000 Arizonans afford food each month. The average household benefit is about $359 per month, or about $150 per person. See last week’s member update for more details about the public health importance of SNAP: Hunger Is a Public Health Issue: SNAP Food Assistance Cutoff Imminent
