Federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, used by 42 million Americans, is set to run dry on Saturday as the U.S. government shutdown continues.

On Friday, President Trump signaled he would fund SNAP if pointed in “the appropriate legal direction” after a federal judge directed officials to use an emergency fund for the program.

An average of 41.7 million people, or 12.3 % of the U.S. population, received SNAP benefits each month in Fiscal Year 2024, according to the USDA. October 2025 reports indicate that about 42 million Americans participate in SNAP monthly.

The megabill further shuttered the SNAP-Ed, a federally funded grant program that "helps people make their SNAP dollars stretch, teaches them how to cook healthy meals, and lead physically active lifestyles," according to the program's website. Funding for SNAP-Ed ended Oct. 1.

The Michigan Senate supports creating a backup fund for SNAP food assistance in the state, but the House has yet to vote.

The Hawaiʻi Relief Program leverages federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, funds to provide financial stability while SNAP payments are on hold. Applications began being accepted Wednesday.

New Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rules are going into effect on Saturday, even as benefits will already not be issued through November without federal funding due to the

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, which impacts roughly 42 million Americans, could resume as soon as Wednesday. His comments come days after two federal judges ruled that the administration must use contingency funds to make SNAP payments.