As the federal government shutdown stretches toward a second month, food pantries across Mercer County are preparing for a surge in demand. Unless Congress acts or federal reserves are released, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November will not be issued on time — an unprecedented disruption in the program’s 51-year history.
Federal lapse, local fallout
On October 21, the New Jersey Department of Human Services announced that if the shutdown continues, November SNAP benefits “will not be available on November 1.” Any benefits already loaded on Families First EBT cards before October 31 will remain usable, but no new benefits will post until federal funding resumes.
Recipients are urged to check balances at NJFamiliesFirst.com or call 800-997-3333 before shopping. The state will continue to process new applications and recertifications so benefits can be issued immediately once funds return.
The state estimates that more than 800,000 New Jersey residents rely on SNAP each month. In Mercer County alone, roughly 40,000 people could be affected if the program remains unfunded.
“This is a moral crisis, not a budget crisis,” said Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, who has made hunger prevention a central focus of his tenure. “Never before in SNAP’s 51-year history has the funding lapsed. The refusal to release these emergency reserves is a cruel, purposeful decision to make the most needy of our country suffer.”
U.S. Senator Cory Booker echoed that concern in Washington, calling the decision “unconscionable and cruel.” He cosponsored two bipartisan bills — the Keep SNAP Funded Act and the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act — to restore benefits for SNAP and the Women, Infants and Children program.
“It’s long past time for Republican leadership to let the Senate vote to continue these benefits,” Booker said. “Families need food assistance, not political theater.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP, has refused to use contingency funds during the shutdown and posted a sharply worded statement blaming Senate Democrats for “holding out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures.” The post drew bipartisan criticism for its tone and for departing from the agency’s traditionally nonpartisan communications.
State and county coordination
In an interview, Mark Dinglasan, New Jersey’s Food Security Advocate, said his office is working closely with county food security coalitions and food banks to mitigate the impact.
“We can’t control Washington, but we can control how we show up for our neighbors,” he said. “Mercer County’s network of more than 100 pantry partners, coordinated by Mercer Street Friends, is stronger now than it was during the pandemic. But no community can replace SNAP overnight.”
Dinglasan estimated that the lapse could translate to as much as $150 million in lost food purchasing power statewide in just one month. “That’s not something the charitable food system can backfill, no matter how generous people are,” he said.
He urged residents seeking immediate help to use online tools such as Lemontree.org, NJ211.org, and Findhelp.org to locate nearby food assistance programs.
Partial State Benefits to Be Issued
While federal funding remains frozen, New Jersey will issue partial SNAP benefits through the state’s minimum benefit program. The $95 NJSNAP supplement, created during the pandemic and made permanent, will reach about 32,000 households statewide, according to Dinglasan.
“It’s a drop in the bucket,” he said, noting that the federal lapse leaves a $150 million to $175 million gap affecting roughly 400,000 households.
The supplement, administered through NJSNAP.gov, is part of New Jersey’s effort to ensure that low-income residents receive at least some assistance while federal dollars are delayed.
Dinglasan said this state action will help some residents bridge the gap, but “no state can fully replace what SNAP brings into the economy every month.”
Local mobilization
At the county level, Mercer Street Friends issued a public appeal on October 28 warning that “nearly 40,000 residents of Mercer County will lose their SNAP benefits on November 1” if the shutdown continues.
“With over 100 pantry partners throughout Trenton and Mercer County, we must be ready. And we will be,” wrote CEO Bernie Flynn, asking residents to donate funds or food to help bridge the gap.
In Hopewell Valley, Joe Lawver, director of the Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry, said volunteers are bracing for an influx of new requests. The pantry operates weekly out of the gymnasium at the Hopewell Valley Regional School District administration building, collecting, sorting, packaging, and delivering groceries and produce to households across the Valley.
“We’re entirely volunteer-run,” Lawver said. “When something like this happens, we see new names almost immediately. People who’ve never needed help before suddenly find themselves short.”
The pantry serves about 125 households each week, roughly 70 percent of them from Hopewell Township, Pennington, and Hopewell Borough. Grab-and-go pickup runs Saturdays from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at 425 S. Main Street, Pennington, and home delivery is available for residents who can’t travel. 60% of the people that rely on the pantry are seniors.
Most-needed items include cooking oil, canned soups, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene products. Donations are accepted year-round at the same address.
At The Chubby’s Project in Hopewell Borough, founder John Haney said volunteers have delivered more than 8,000 meals this year — a 10 percent increase from 2024 — and maintain a 24/7 outdoor pantry on Rail Road Place, adjacent to Aunt Chubby’s Luncheonette.
Schools and families
Hopewell Valley Regional School District Superintendent Dr. Rosetta Treece reminded families that children may qualify for free or reduced-price school lunch if household circumstances change. “We encourage families to apply or re-apply right away,” Treece said. “We won’t let a student go hungry at school.”
Where to Get Help
Local Food Assistance
- Hopewell Valley Mobile Food Pantry: 425 S. Main St., Pennington. Pickup Saturdays 9–10:30 a.m. Home delivery available within the Valley.
- The Chubby’s Project: 24/7 outdoor pantry and weekly meal delivery. thechubbysproject.org
- Mercer Street Friends: Countywide food bank supporting more than 100 partner pantries. mercerstreetfriends.org
Statewide Tools
- Lemontree.org – “Yelp for food pantries,” with maps and details.
- NJ211.org – Searchable database of pantries and social services.
- Findhelp.org – Listings for food, housing, and financial support.
- NJSNAP.gov – Official SNAP information and application portal.
- WIC Program: for women, infants, and children under five.
- Check your SNAP balance: NJFamiliesFirst.com or 800-997-3333.
- Free and reduced-price school meals: Apply through https://www.hvrsd.org/page/free-and-reduced-lunch-forms.
For Lawver and others on the front lines, the focus remains simple.
“Hunger doesn’t take a break just because Washington does,” he said. “Our job is to make sure nobody here in the Hopewell Valley has to face it alone.”
Editor’s note. The story has been updated to clarify the location of the Chubby’s project pantry
