Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed a disaster declaration freeing up around $5 million to help feed Pennsylvania residents impacted by SNAP benefits set to expire Saturday amid the federal government shutdown.
The money will go to Feeding Pennsylvania, a nonprofit that partners with food banks to distribute food in all 67 counties in the commonwealth.
Feeding Pennsylvania will use the money to help food banks across the state, including Philabundance, one of the largest food banks in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Shapiro is also announcing a private-sector donation, which includes around $1 million from donations, including some from Pittsburgh native Mark Cuban and David Adelman, a partner in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the Sixers’ parent company.
The governor is speaking from one of the warehouses for Philabundance in Philadelphia. Representatives from Feeding PA and Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding are also in attendance at the press conference.
Shapiro’s announcement comes as a federal judge ruled Friday the Trump administration is required by law to use contingency funds to pay at least partial SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. The judge gave the administration until Monday to respond.
Pennsylvania joined 24 other states in the federal lawsuit seeking to compel the USDA to use contingency funds to at least partially fund SNAP during the government shutdown, which is in its 31st day.
Meanwhile, New Jersey is speeding up grant funding to food banks and Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer on Wednesday declared a state of emergency, which will allow state funding for SNAP recipients on a weekly basis in the state.
Tom Dougherty and
contributed to this report.
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