PHOENIX — Governor Katie Hobbs announced that the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES) has approved the release of full SNAP benefits for November after the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued new guidance following multiple court rulings ordering the Trump administration to fund the program.
The update means that more than 800,000 Arizonans affected by the federal government’s delay will soon receive their full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments.
Hobbs criticized the federal government’s handling of the shutdown and benefit suspension, calling the delay “chaos and confusion” that forced families to turn to food banks and emergency assistance.
“It shouldn’t take a court order for Washington to do the right thing,” Hobbs said, adding that she was grateful for state employees who worked to “cut through the chaos” and ensure benefits were restored.
The Trump administration had withheld an estimated $100 million in food benefits from Arizona households despite access to over $5 billion in federal contingency funds.
To help bridge the gap, Hobbs previously directed $1.8 million in ARPA funds to support the Arizona Food Bank Network and launch the Food Bucks Now emergency voucher program. The governor also encouraged residents to volunteer or donate to local food banks as families waited for federal aid.
Hobbs’ office maintains an updated database of food pantries and food assistance resources statewide at azgovernor.gov/food-pantry-resources-for-arizonans.
While DES has transmitted the payment files, the USDA must now make the funding available for the benefits to appear on EBT cards.
