WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE CO. (WOLF) — The federal government shutdown has now entered its 21st day and the impacts are hitting home for thousands of Pennsylvania families who rely on federal food assistance.

Because Congress has failed to pass a budget, the state says it can no longer issue payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a lifeline for more than 2 million Pennsylvanians.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, SNAP benefits stopped being paid out on October 16 and will not resume until the shutdown ends. The agency says the pause affects roughly one in six Pennsylvanians, most of them children, older adults, or people with disabilities.

“Because Republicans in Washington D.C. failed to pass a federal budget, causing the federal government shutdown, November 2025 SNAP benefits cannot be paid,” the department said in an online update. “Starting October 16, SNAP benefits will not be paid until the federal government shutdown ends and funds are released to Pennsylvania.”

Each month, Pennsylvania receives more than $350 million in SNAP funds from the federal government, money that not only supports low-income families but also sustains grocers, food retailers, and the state’s agricultural industry.

Officials note that while the charitable food network provides crucial support, it cannot replace the scale of the SNAP program, which provides nine meals for every one meal offered by food charities.

In Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties, a nonprofit called NAZ CHD Awareness and Family Planning is preparing to help families who suddenly find themselves without food benefits. The group supports about 20 families who have children living with congenital heart defects, a condition that often requires special dietary care.

Founder Autumn Biggs says most of the families her organization supports are SNAP recipients.

“They have special dietary needs,” Biggs said. “A lot of them need to keep up the weight, which is hard for a child with a congenital heart defect. The heart works extra hard, it’s like having a high metabolism, so it’s hard for them to gain and maintain weight. A lot of our families need high protein shakes like Ensure, and they’re pretty expensive.”

To help, the organization is launching a community food drive starting November 1, with donation drop-off locations across Luzerne County.

Once Upon a Time Daycare and Preschool at 5 Dug Road in Shavertown and G&D Creations LLC at 1325 North River Street in Hillsdale will serve as drop-off points on Wednesdays and Fridays from 2 to 5 p.m.

“It’s extremely important because let’s say we have a family that doesn’t get their SNAP benefits in November, that means they’re taking resources from paying bills, paying utilities, taking their child to doctor’s appointments,” Biggs said.

For Biggs, the issue is deeply personal.

“I started the organization because my son has a congenital heart defect,” she said. “When he was younger, we had SNAP benefits. It was very difficult, especially being a single mom with a child with a heart defect and an older child. If we had to go through something like this back then, I honestly don’t know what we would have done.”

The DHS statement pointed blame at congressional Republicans, but Republican Congressman Rob Bresnahan said the issue is more complex and that both parties need to work together to end the shutdown. Bresnahan released the following statement:

“More than 300,000 households in my district rely on SNAP. That is equal to one in five families. This shutdown is not about politics or polling numbers. It is about the impacts on real people in NEPA: families wondering how they will put food on the table without SNAP and mothers struggling to afford formula without WIC.

“I have been calling from the start for both sides to come together and end this, but I do find it rich that Governor Shapiro chooses to blame Congressional Republicans when we have been voting to keep the government open. The continuing resolution needs 60 votes in the Senate, which will require at least seven Democrat votes. If the Governor wants to help, he should urge more Democrats to join Senator Fetterman in using some common sense to reopen the government.”

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services urges residents affected by the SNAP pause to call 211 or visit feedingpa.org and pa-navigate.org for immediate food assistance.