Gov. Shapiro signs disaster declaration over SNAP funding
WGAL ^ | 31 October A.D. 2025 | Staff
Posted on 10/31/2025 1:53:03 PM PDT by lightman
PHILADELPHIA —
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed a disaster declaration over SNAP funding, which is in danger of being cut off on Saturday due to the federal government shutdown. What the declaration does
The declaration makes $5 million in state money immediately available to food banks.
Shapiro made the announcement at a Friday afternoon news conference in Philadelphia. You can watch his complete remarks in the video player above.
"Nearly two million Pennsylvanians rely on SNAP every month — and they shouldn’t have to wonder where their next meal will come from because of the dysfunction in Washington," Shapiro said. "There is no substitute for the federal government’s decision not to release SNAP benefits, but my Administration is stepping up to use every tool we have — state resources, private sector support, and the compassion of our communities — to make sure our food banks are fully stocked and our families are fed. The federal government has the money to keep people fed — they’re just refusing to use it. In Pennsylvania, I won’t let our families or food banks shoulder that burden alone, and I’m not going to stand by while the federal government lets Pennsylvanians go hungry."
Shapiro has also turned to the private sector for donations, saying more than $1 million has been raised through the SNAP Emergency Relief Fund. Judges order admin to use contingency funds
Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trump's administration must to continue to fund SNAP.
Shapiro said even with the decision, it will take about ten days to get those fund flowing again, Shapiro also said he hopes the Trump administration does not appeal the decision. Multi-state lawsuit
The Shapiro administration joined 24 other states and the District of Columbia in suing the Trump Administration for what is said was "unlawfully suspending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments and refusing to use billions in Congressionally-approved contingency funds to continue SNAP during the shutdown."
Around 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits. SNAP benefits in Pa. | By the numbers
Nearly 2 million people in Pennsylvania, about 14 percent of the population, receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP.
WGAL broke down the number of SNAP recipients in Pennsylvania county-by-county. Tap on or hover over the interactive map below to see which counties have the highest percentages of SNAP recipients as well as the total number of recipients.
County-by-county SNAP percentages:
Philadelphia: 30.2% Fayette: 24.3% Cameron: 21.8% Erie: 20.7% Luzerne: 20.3% Greene: 20.2% Lawrence: 19.7% Cambria: 19.3% Blair: 19.1% Lackawanna: 18.8% McKean: 18.8% Northumberland: 18.6% Venango: 18.5% Dauphin: 17.8% Mercer: 17.4% Clearfield: 16.8% Schuylkill: 16.5% Crawford: 16.3% Armstrong: 16.2% Mifflin: 16.0% Lycoming: 15.5% Warren: 15.4% Lehigh: 15.2% Clinton: 14.9% Potter: 14.9% Tioga: 14.9% Beaver: 14.8% Somerset: 14.8% Jefferson: 14.7% Bedford: 14.4% Bradford: 14.4% Clarion: 14.4% Indiana: 14.4% Wyoming: 14.3% Berks: 13.8% Fulton: 13.8% Monroe: 13.7% Columbia: 13.6% Allegheny: 13.1% Delaware: 13.3% Huntingdon: 13.3% Carbon: 13.9% Elk: 12.4% Wayne: 12.3% Lebanon: 12.2% Washington: 12.9% Westmoreland: 12.7% Susquehanna: 12.6% Northampton: 10.3% Juniata: 10.8% Pike: 11.1% York: 11.7% Franklin: 11.5% Perry: 10.0% Sullivan: 10.1% Forest: 9.8% Lancaster: 9.6% Montour: 8.9% Snyder: 8.9% Cumberland: 8.6% Union: 8.0% Butler: 7.7% Adams: 7.4% Montgomery: 6.8% Bucks: 6.3% Chester: 5.2% Centre: 5.2%
Statewide breakdown
Across the Keystone State, 1,901,632 people currently receive SNAP benefits, according to AmericanProgress.org.
That adds up to 14.6% of the total population.
About SNAP
SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, used to be known as the Food Stamp Program.
SNAP is administered through the United States Department of Agriculture. It provides benefits and access to food through an electronic card, which functions like an ATM card.
People in low-income households who are getting benefits can use the card to buy food at authorized retail food stores. SNAP in Pennsylvania
People in eligible low-income households can obtain more nutritious diets with SNAP, increasing their food purchasing power at grocery stores and supermarkets.
The below information is provided by the Department of Human Services. Maximum benefit amounts
One person: $292 Two people: $536 Three people: $768 Four people: $975 Five people: $1,158 Six people: $1,390 Seven people: $1,536 Eight people: $1,756 Nine people: $1,976 Ten people: $2,196 Each additional person: Add $220
Income limits
To get SNAP benefits, your income has to be under certain limits.
There are a few factors that contribute to SNAP allowances and income limits in Pennsylvania, including household size, monthly income and if a member of your household is 60 years old or older or has a disability.
SNAP households may receive deductions from their gross income for things like housing costs, child or dependent care payments, and medical expenses of more than $35 for older adults or people with disabilities.
The best way to determine if your household will qualify for SNAP is to apply.
One person: $2,510 Two people: $3,408 Three people: $4,304 Four people: $5,200 Five people: $6,098 Six people: $6,994 Seven people: $7,890 Eight people: $8,788 Nine people: $9,686 10 people: $10,584 Each additional member: +$898
Go here to learn more about eligibility requirements for SNAP.
College students may also qualify for SNAP benefits. Find out more here.
How do SNAP benefits work?
SNAP benefits are placed in an electronic account that only the recipient can use. The eligible household receives a Pennsylvania electronic benefits transfer ACCESS card, which allows withdrawals for food purchases at grocery stores and supermarkets. The eligible household can only spend the amount that's in the account. This is not a credit card.
TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: pennsylvania; schumershutdown; shapiro; shutdown; snap
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Hochul went first.
Donkey see, donkey doo.
1 posted on 10/31/2025 1:53:03 PM PDT by lightman
To: fatima; Fresh Wind; st.eqed; xsmommy; House Atreides; Nowhere Man; PaulZe; brityank; Physicist; ...
Pennsylvania Ping!
Please ping me with articles of interest.
FReepmail me to be added to the list.
2 posted on 10/31/2025 1:54:11 PM PDT by lightman (Beat the Philly fraud machine the Amish did onest, ja? Nein, zweimal they did already!)
To: lightman
Why not distribute from those giant warehouses they built all over the place for just this very purpose?
3 posted on 10/31/2025 1:54:33 PM PDT by P.O.E.
To: lightman
He is trying to placate the left to get the nomination. Critiquing President Trump at every turn. Meanwhile he hasn’t passed a budget. He told Pennslvinians a bill of goods. Stacey Garrety should nail him on it next year.
4 posted on 10/31/2025 1:55:49 PM PDT by cowboyusa ( YESHUA IS KING OF AMERICA AND HE WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM!)
To: lightman
Food banks are far more preferable to SNAP because at least only specific nutritious foods are supplied and rationed. Much less room for fraud and waste.
5 posted on 10/31/2025 1:56:07 PM PDT by fwdude (Why is there a "far/radical right," but damned if they'll admit that there is a far/radical left)
To: lightman
We don’t get SNAP recipients’ votes anyway.
6 posted on 10/31/2025 1:57:14 PM PDT by HIDEK6 (God bless Donald Trump )
To: lightman
“Nearly two million Pennsylvanians rely on SNAP every month”
If you have that many people relying on SNAP in your state then you suck as a Governor!
7 posted on 10/31/2025 1:57:21 PM PDT by Dave911
To: lightman
Here’s an idea: Use the $5 million to create temporary public jobs for the SNAP recipients cleaning public buildings and grounds to let them earn their handout.
8 posted on 10/31/2025 1:58:03 PM PDT by econjack
To: lightman
So government sets up a system that hooks people on some form of government assistance, and, through the failings of that government, it us unable to provide that assistance, then the government declares a disaster to force government to fix the emergency. Such a system.
9 posted on 10/31/2025 2:00:10 PM PDT by fhayek
To: Dave911
Reminds me of something Rush said.
Liberals measure compassion by how many people get government assistance.
Conservatives measure compassion by how many people no longer need it.
10 posted on 10/31/2025 2:00:49 PM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
To: dfwgator
11 posted on 10/31/2025 2:06:13 PM PDT by Dave911
To: lightman
Around 42 million Americans account numbers receive SNAP benefits.
12 posted on 10/31/2025 2:19:21 PM PDT by FoxInSocks ("Hope is not a course of action." — M. O'Neal, USMC)
To: lightman
13 posted on 10/31/2025 2:27:56 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
To: lightman
Philadelphia: 30.2%
No wonder we are so screwed. Over 30% of Philadelphia is on food stamps.
14 posted on 10/31/2025 2:28:56 PM PDT by packrat35 (“When discourse ends, violence begins.” – Charlie Kirk, and they killed him anyway)
To: lightman
NOT UNDERSTANDING:
2 DIFFERENT SETS OF NUMBERS IN MAIN BODY OF STORY.....
ONE IS MUCH HIGHER...IS THE 2ND SET OF NUMBERS MONTHLY INCOME?????
15 posted on 10/31/2025 2:33:26 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (not giving up on TRUMP---EVER)
To: ridesthemiles
First set of numbers = SNAP benefit amount
Second set of numbers = Monthly income limit
16 posted on 10/31/2025 2:37:44 PM PDT by lightman (Beat the Philly fraud machine the Amish did onest, ja? Nein, zweimal they did already!)
To: lightman
A State of Emergency you created yourself idiot.
17 posted on 10/31/2025 3:34:37 PM PDT by mass55th (“Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” ― John Wayne)
To: cowboyusa
He’s only able to do this crap because our LIB Supreme Count gerrymandered our House districts and gave the Dems the House, otherwise he’s have to play ball w our pathetic Pa Republican Party.
They really are all but worthless!
VOTE NO on judge retention!!
18 posted on 10/31/2025 5:35:49 PM PDT by bantam
To: cowboyusa
He’s only able to do this crap because our LIB Supreme Count gerrymandered our House districts and gave the Dems the House, otherwise he’s have to play ball w our pathetic Pa Republican Party.
They really are all but worthless!
VOTE NO on judge retention!!
19 posted on 10/31/2025 5:36:54 PM PDT by bantam
To: bantam
Stacey Garrity will be a great Canidate unlike that buffoon we ran the last time.
20 posted on 10/31/2025 5:54:23 PM PDT by cowboyusa ( YESHUA IS KING OF AMERICA AND HE WILL HAVE NO OTHER GODS BEFORE HIM!)
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