Iowa SNAP Benefits Resume Following End of Federal Shutdown; Food Banks Reach $1 Million Donation Match

DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November are being issued following the resolution of the federal government shutdown. This comes as a critical relief for more than 130,000 Iowa households who rely on SNAP to meet their nutritional needs. Iowans who receive SNAP should begin to see November balances come online as early as this evening.

The federal shutdown, which lasted 43 days, had delayed the issuance of November SNAP benefits. With the passage of a federal funding bill and the reopening of government operations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has authorized states to resume benefit distribution. Iowa HHS is working swiftly to ensure all eligible recipients receive their benefits within the next several days.

“We are grateful to be able to resume these essential benefits for Iowa families,” Larry Johnson, Director of Iowa HHS. “Our team has been preparing for this moment and is committed to processing payments as quickly and efficiently as possible. This is a powerful example of Iowans stepping up for one another and I’m grateful to everyone who volunteered their time in the food banks and pantries.”

“Thanks to the generosity of individuals, businesses, and community partners, our food banks were able to meet the increased demand and ensure no one went hungry during this uncertain time. We are lucky to have such an established and innovative food bank network in the state,” said Governor Reynolds.

In tandem with the resumption of SNAP benefits, Iowa’s six regional food banks have successfully met the state’s $1 million donation match challenge. Governor Kim Reynolds had previously announced that the state would match up to $1 million in private donations to food banks. Those funds, along with generous donations to food banks from Fareway, the Iowa Pork Producers Association and Hy-Vee and the state’s three managed care organizations, Iowa Total Care, Molina Healthcare Iowa and Well Point Iowa, provided support over the last several weeks when the state’s food banks and pantries saw unprecedented need.

The matched funds have been distributed proportionally based on the number of SNAP participants served in each food bank region. These resources have helped food banks purchase bulk food supplies, expand distribution, and support local pantries across all 99 counties.

Iowa HHS encourages SNAP recipients to check their EBT card balances and visit hhs.iowa.gov/snap for updates.