SNAP recipients face benefit uncertainty as government shutdown continues

Food banks prepare for increased demand as federal assistance may lapse November 1.

Published: Oct. 28, 2025 at 4:39 PM CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - SNAP recipients and area food banks are preparing for a potential lapse in benefits as the government shutdown continues, with hundreds of thousands of Iowans potentially losing assistance next month unless lawmakers end the shutdown.

This week, the Iowa Pork Producers Association is donating thousands of pounds of ground pork to help food banks prepare for increased demand.

Pork donation provides critical protein

Pork producers donated more than 1,400 pounds of pork Tuesday morning to HACAP in Hiawatha. HACAP will distribute it through its 300 partners across seven counties.

Staff with HACAP described the meat as “gold,” saying protein is a high-need item for food banks. They expect it to all be spoken for within a week.

Pork producers are donating a total of 9,500 pounds of pork across six food banks in Iowa and Nebraska.

HACAP has been stocking up its pantry in case Iowans don’t receive next month’s SNAP benefits.

“As the November 1 deadline comes, where folks may not have SNAP benefits, we hope that folks do continue to understand that food pantries and food banks will still operate, will still be open to serve that need. Nothing can make up the gap that zeroing out SNAP benefits would make, so we’re hopeful for a resolution to that shutdown as soon as possible for our neighbors in need,” said Aron Brecht of the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP).

Personal impact on recipients

Jerad Nylin, a blind community support advocate living with other disabilities, is currently unemployed but actively looking for work. He depends on federal funding like SNAP to help put food on the table.

“That is hard in today’s society with different barriers that are in place by society; everyone’s looking for a job,” Nylin said.

His monthly SNAP benefits of about $125 cover necessities.

“A hundred dollars-ish doesn’t really get you a lot. It gets me some meat, gets me some milk, some cereal, fresh fruits and stuff,” Nylin said.

If the federal government doesn’t reopen by November 1, SNAP recipients won’t receive next month’s benefits.

“It just worries me that people are going to forego food or healthy food because they don’t know how to get it,” Nylin said.

Transportation barriers

Traveling to a food bank isn’t feasible for everyone, including Nylin.

“I get my groceries delivered from the store, but if I don’t have the money, I have to take it out of money that I don’t have because I live on a fixed income,” Nylin said.

Nylin has questions about the full impact of the shutdown, including whether leftover food stamps can roll over and be used into November.

TV9 reached out to Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks to ask if any remaining balance can still be used. She is Nylin’s representative.

Miller-Meeks said in part:

For all SNAP beneficiaries in any state, their EBT cards will still work in November. Any unused benefits from prior months will roll over and the balance will still be accessible after Nov. 1. My understanding also is that all benefits missed because of the shutdown will be disbursed once it is over.

Miller-Meeks recently introduced the Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025, a bill that would use emergency money to keep the SNAP program running.

TV9 asked why the bill wasn’t introduced sooner, like at the beginning of October.

She said in part:

“Nobody expected the shutdown to last this long. Had we known Democrats would drag this shutdown on this long, there’s no doubt action would have been taken sooner.”

TV9 also asked what is being done to get the bill passed before the November 1 deadline.

Miller-Meeks said:

“Right now, we are garnering as much support as possible for the bill. Senator Hawley is doing the same thing in the Senate. On Friday, we had 2 people leading it in the House, myself and Max Miller. Now, the bill has 13 cosponsors and counting. I have dozens of Members contacting me trying to get onto this bill because nobody wants to see SNAP recipients lose their benefits because Democrats voted to shut down the government 13 times.”