CalFresh Benefits Won't Go Out In November, Officials Say: 'The Well Has Run Dry'

Golden State residents who receive federal food aid will see their November benefits delayed as the ongoing federal shutdown continues, The Department of Agriculture and CalFresh have announced.

The Department of Agriculture posted a notice on its website after the Trump administration said it would not tap roughly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as SNAP, flowing into November. That program helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries.

“Bottom line, the well has run dry,” the USDA notice says. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued on November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats.”

Since the shutdown wasn't resolved by last Thursday, Oct. 23, agencies across the state have urged Californians to brace for disruptions and delays.

According to Newsom's office, the federal government has directed all states to hold November benefit data that typically allows CalFresh funds to be distributed. This action will first affect those who are newly enrolling in CalFresh during the second half of October. It will affect all other enrollees if the shutdown lasts longer than Oct. 23.

CalFresh is California's version of SNAP, formerly known as food stamps. The program distributes benefits to help eligible low-income residents purchase food.

The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Patch.

"Donald Trump is literally dancing in Asia while 40 million people lose access to food," Newsom wrote Sunday on X. "Disgusting."

While the spigot may entirely shut off for Californians receiving benefits next month, Gov. Gavin Newsom said he has "fast-tracked" up to $80 million to support food banks.

The democratic governor has also deployed the state National Guard to support food banks.

"As SNAP delays hit dinner tables right before the holiday season, the state is working hard to keep families from going hungry." Newsom said Friday. "The efforts seen today will be ongoing and available to food banks across California that request greater assistance.”

On Monday, counties across the state started to issue notices that benefits would not be issued until the shutdown was lifted.

November CalFresh benefits are not currently being issued due to the federal government shutdown. Please note: This impacts all CalFresh households and cannot be appealed. You can keep using your existing benefits as usual. pic.twitter.com/nxlpJ92NY9
— Humboldt County DHHS (@HumCoDHHS) October 27, 2025

"November CalFresh benefits are not currently being issued due to the federal government shutdown. Please note: This impacts all CalFresh households and cannot be appealed. You can keep using your existing benefits as usual," Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services posted to X Monday morning.

Contra Costa County also announced Monday that benefits would be delayed.

"We are closely monitoring changes and will update our website along the way," officials posted on X.

Nationally, more than 62 percent of nearly 41.7 million SNAP participants are in families with children; 37 percent are in families with members who are older adults or disabled; and more than 38 percent are in working families, according to an analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

The analysis of USDA Food and Nutrition Service data by the non-partisan research group that focuses on federal and state policies to reduce poverty and inequality also shows that 5,380,000 California residents rely on CalFresh benefits. That’s 14 percent of the state population (1 in 7) who depend on benefits to keep food on the table.

According to the data, 55 percent of participants are families with children in California. More than 30 percent are in working class families and 36 percent are in families with members who are older adults or disabled.

Data from 2023 shows that many California households struggle to put food on the table. More than 11 percent of households were "food insecure" that year, meaning access to food is limited for financial reasons.

In 2023, 12 percent of older adults lived below the poverty line in California.

That data also found that 41 percent of the CalFresh participants in 2022 had income that was at or below 50 percent of the poverty line. Between the years 2015 and 2019, these benefits lifted 711,000 people above the poverty line in California, including 347,000 children, according to the data.

The shutdown, which began Oct. 1, is now the second-longest on record. While the Republican administration took steps leading up to the shutdown to ensure SNAP benefits were paid this month, the cutoff would expand the impact of the impasse to a wider swath of Americans — and some of those most in need.

The prospect of families not receiving food aid has deeply concerned states run by both parties.

Officials in Louisiana, Vermont and Virginia pledged to keep food aid flowing to recipients in their states, even if the federal program is stalled next month because of the government shutdown.

Other states’ attempts to use their own funds to support the program have faced technical hurdles, and it's uncertain if the three new plans can overcome these.