Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath), a national nonprofit that dramatically improves the lives of people experiencing poverty, is calling on federal leaders to take urgent action to prevent a lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on November 1.

Kim Janey, president and CEO of EMPath and former Mayor of Boston, issued the following statement:

“As an organization that serves families working toward economic stability, we are deeply alarmed by the possibility of a lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding on November 1.

If SNAP benefits are not distributed for November, millions of households—including many of the families we serve—will be left without the means to buy food. Nationwide, nearly 42 million people rely on SNAP to help feed themselves and their families. Here at EMPath, 70 percent of our participants — roughly 340 families — depend on SNAP benefits. Losing that support, even for a short time, means that many could go without food.

In the sixty-year history of SNAP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has never failed to disburse monthly benefits, even during government shutdowns. The USDA currently holds more than $5 billion in contingency funds—resources that must be used now to prevent catastrophic harm to families across the country.

We call for urgent action:

1. Federal Action to Release SNAP Funds – The Administration and USDA must immediately use available contingency and reserve funds to ensure uninterrupted SNAP benefits. Families cannot wait.

2. Congressional Leadership – Members of Congress must send a clear and unified message to the Administration: do not let millions go hungry. Congress must press for executive action to bridge funding immediately, while also taking swift steps to restore full government operations and protect essential safety net programs.

In the meantime, we urge continued support for nonprofits, including EMPath, who are working hard to bridge the gap for families who are impacted by this devastating lapse in critical funding.

Preventing a surge in hunger and hardship among low-income families is critical. We urge federal leaders to act immediately to prevent a devastating lapse in benefits. The cost of inaction will be more hunger, more homelessness, and more barriers for families working to build a better future.”

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