November SNAP benefits are on hold but grocers, apps are filling food gap

A pause in SNAP benefits is leaving millions of families with empty EBT cards, impacting both households and retailers. The SNAP shutdown is halting approximately $8 billion in monthly federal food assistance, affecting 42 million Americans. Grocers, delivery apps, and nonprofits are swiftly implementing programs to alleviate the food gap. Instacart is offering grocery discounts and expanding its food bank support, investing $5 million in direct relief. DoorDash launched an Emergency Food Response, providing free meal deliveries and waiving fees on SNAP grocery orders. Gopuff is donating up to $10 million in free groceries for SNAP customers with quick delivery. Albertsons is expediting $13 million in gift cards to food banks, while H-E-B donated millions to Texas food banks and Meals on Wheels. Organizations like The Farmlink Project are increasing produce donations to food banks. Companies like Flashfood and Amazon are also boosting their efforts to provide discounted groceries and free deliveries. While beneficial, corporate assistance won't fully compensate for the loss of SNAP benefits.