A pause in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for millions of low-income Americans, including 5.5 million Californians, remains in effect as the government shutdown continues.
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Two federal judges told the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday that it must begin using billions of dollars in contingency funding to provide federal food assistance to poor American families despite the federal shutdown but gave the agency until Monday to decide how to do so.
But it’s still unclear how exactly the relief should be provided, or when it will arrive for millions of families who have lost benefits.
Although the orders were a win for states and the nation’s SNAP recipients, they do not mean that all those recipients will be spared a lapse in their food aid, state officials stressed.
In the meantime, state and local food banks scrambled over the weekend to help as the deluge of need began.
Thousands of people showed up Saturday to a drive-through food distribution event at the Kia Forum in Inglewood organized by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
Scores of volunteers for the food bank gathered outside the Forum to serve Angelenos looking to stock their shelves and refrigerators, my colleagues reported, for what could become the longest shutdown since 2018, when the federal government was shuttered for 35 days.
Volunteers disbursed food containers to about 5,000 vehicles, according to the food bank. Each container had items for about 40 meals, with whole grains, fresh produce, tortillas, canned tuna, yogurt and frozen chicken.
Judges order funding restarted
Two Obama-appointed judges rejected Trump administration arguments that more than $5 billion in USDA contingency funds could not legally be tapped to continue SNAP benefits for nearly 42 million people — about 1 in 8 Americans — while the federal government remained closed.
The rulings came as the now monthlong shutdown continued with no immediate end in sight.
California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta blamed the shutdown on President Trump and his administration, The Times’ Kevin Rector wrote, and said the USDA broke the law by not tapping its contingency funds to continue payments.
Bonta also said SNAP benefits had never been disrupted during previous federal government shutdowns, and should never have been disrupted during this shutdown, either: “That was avoidable. Trump created this problem.”
The Trump administration has blamed the shutdown and the disruption to SNAP benefits on Democrats in Congress, who have blocked short-term spending measures to restart the government and fund SNAP. Democrats are holding out to pressure Republicans into rescinding massive cuts to subsidies that help millions of Americans afford health insurance.
Helping neighbors in need
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Trump said he “needs to hear from the courts how this is going to be done. … There’s a process that has to be followed.” He said it was possible the funds would flow by Wednesday.
In the meantime, SNAP recipients need food now.
Community leaders and local nonprofits have been stepping up to fill in the gap by hosting free grocery pop-up markets and other events to help out their neighbors.
The Times has compiled a list of ways to volunteer in these efforts.
From North Hollywood to Inglewood, volunteers can help with drive-through food distribution events, packing grocery bags, and preparing and distributing meals to those who need them most.
Today’s top stories 
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(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
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And finally … your photo of the day 
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Jason Armond in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday as Dodgers fans celebrated the team’s World Series win.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, Sunday writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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