- Home
- News
- Opinion
- Entertainment
- Classified
- About Us
MLK Breakfast- Community
- Foundation
- Obituaries
- Donate
11-08-2025 7:59 am • PDX and SEA Weather
MLK Breakfast
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) is notifying approximately 757,000 Oregonians who receive food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that they will not receive new benefits after October 31 because of the federal shutdown.
“This is a cruel and unacceptable situation.
"President Trump should focus on feeding families by negotiating a deal with Congress, not doing other things like deploying troops in American cities on taxpayers’ dime.” Governor Kotek said.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is fully funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture which is at a standstill as a result of the federal shutdown.
On Oct.10, the Trump administration notified states that due to the shutdown, it was directing them not to begin the process of distributing November SNAP benefits until further notice. The Trump administration continues to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). SNAP food benefits go to 757,000 people in Oregon every month — roughly one in six residents. Approximately 210,000 of these SNAP recipients are children, and 130,000 are adults ages 65 and older. Any delay or reduction in food benefits in November will cause unnecessary hardship and hunger for hundreds of thousands of people in Oregon during the month of Thanksgiving. In Oregon, it would hit rural communities and economies particularly hard because of the high number of households utilizing SNAP benefits.
ODHS reaffirmed its commitment to work at the state level to get information to Oregonians. “We know that hundreds of thousands of children, older adults and hard-working families and individuals depend on SNAP food benefits to get enough food,” said ODHS Acting Director Liesl Wendt. “In collaboration with the governor’s office we are closely monitoring the situation and will share updates as soon as we receive information from the federal government about the ability to issue SNAP benefits. In the meantime, during this time of uncertainty, we encourage everyone who receives SNAP to familiarize themselves with the free food resources in their community and to make a plan for what they will do if they do not receive their food benefits in November on time.”
