As the federal government shutdown continues, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services received guidance from the United States Department of Agriculture to issue partial benefits for November to the nearly 1.4 million people who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. NCDHHS is updating its payment system according to USDA’s specifications to prepare to issue benefits. If federal funding is provided this week as expected, NCDHHS expects all partial benefits to be loaded onto EBT cards by next week, so beneficiaries should check the balances on their cards often. This follows USDA’s statement it would use $4.65 billion in emergency funds to cover about half of the federal SNAP program for the month of November in response to a lawsuit filed by North Carolina and 24 other states.
"Families around our state are waiting to see if they’re going to be able to afford groceries. I thank DHHS for working to get them out the door as quickly as possible," said Governor Josh Stein. "But these half measures from our federal government aren’t enough. It’s past time to give North Carolinians their peace of mind back."
"SNAP is more than a benefit – it is a lifeline. It helps children grow, supports working families, and ensures older adults and people with disabilities can put food on the table," said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. "While we are encouraged by the decision to require the use of emergency funds, the fact that families will receive only partial benefits, is troubling. Food is foundational to health, dignity, and opportunity. We must focus on the people we serve and ensure that programs like SNAP are protected from further disruption."
"I appreciate DHHS working around the clock to get funds out to North Carolina families as quickly as possible. The Department of Justice is going to do everything we can to help, and we all need to step up to support our communities right now," said North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson.
SNAP serves more than 622,000 households in North Carolina including hard working families, children and elderly residents. Beneficiaries are feeling the impact of the delay in funds. At the beginning of November, more than 60% of beneficiaries had $25.00 or less on their accounts and more than 30% had less than $1.00. The median balance on EBT cards was $5.43.
SNAP beneficiaries will receive a reduction in benefits for November that will vary depending on the amount they usually receive. The USDA has directed NCDHHS and other states to issue November 2025 benefits at a 50% reduction of maximum allotments. For example, in 2025, the maximum allotment for a household of four is $994 per month. Under the 50% reduction requirement, the new maximum allotment is $497. This does not mean households will get exactly half of what they usually receive as the actual amount also depends on each household’s income. All October benefits still owed to new applicants will be delivered in full.
NCDHHS understands how vital SNAP is to so many people in North Carolina and is working as fast as it can to get these critical partial benefits to North Carolinians. NCDHHS is communicating directly with beneficiaries and people who are impacted and posting regular updates on the NCDHHS website dedicated to providing updates about impacts of the federal government shutdown.
Beneficiaries should see the partial benefits loaded onto the cards by the middle of next week. NCDHHS urges people who rely on SNAP to check your balance. Any benefits on your EBT card are available to use. Check your balance on the ebtEDGE app, at ebtEDGE.com, or by calling the number on the back of your card (1-888-622-7328).
NCDHHS is providing the following guidance for people who depend on food and nutrition benefits:
Continue to Apply and Renew: All residents should continue to apply for SNAP benefits and submit renewal paperwork on time. County DSS offices remain open and are processing all applications to prevent a backlog when full federal funding is restored.
Stay Tuned: NCDHHS is committed to sharing updates and moving as quickly as possible to get benefits out to North Carolinians.
If you or your family is in immediate need for food resources, please call 2-1-1 to be connected with local resources. You can also visit the NCDHHS website dedicated to food access to find a food pantry closest to you.