SNAP Funding Crisis Information

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Sign up for important updates about SNAP / CalFresh, Market Match, and Farmers' Market Updates

In light of the continued federal government shutdown and the impending SNAP funding crisis, we know it is difficult to keep track of each day’s developments and to weed out misinformation. In this resource, we aim to provide as much clarity as we can about the situation, and especially about the farmers’ markets we serve by providing CalFresh access and Market Match incentives. The information below was accurate at the time of writing (11/13/2025) but may change.

 The Status of SNAP in the Shutdown

As of 11/13/2025: The federal government has reopened and SNAP benefits should be reaching participants once again.

The Local Impact of SNAP

  1. In Sacramento County, approximately 267,000 individuals living in 146,000 households receive SNAP / CalFresh every month. The average household receives $342 per month, meaning that SNAP delivers $50 million in nutrition benefits to our neighbors every month.* SNAP is irreplaceable when it comes to preventing hunger.
    *The data in this section has been updated, as new data has been published.
  2. SNAP isn’t just an anti-hunger program; it also helps keep the economy running. The loss of $50 million per month in Sacramento County means major losses for farmers’ markets, farm stands, grocery stores, corner stores, and more. This will be especially hard on smaller businesses. If the SNAP crisis is allowed to stretch on, it will mean layoffs, reduced hours at work, and smaller paychecks for many neighbors.
  3. Focusing on farmers’ markets, the SNAP / CalFresh program plays a huge role in supporting our small local farmers and ranchers. In 2024, Alchemist CDC distributed $1.4 million in CalFresh and Market Match at 9 local farmers’ markets. This year, we have been on track to distribute $1.7+ million. The farmers we serve are expected to lose $36,000 in sales every week that SNAP goes without funding in November. These small local farms don’t have safety nets and have never received major assistance or crop insurance from the federal government.

What CalFresh Participants Should Know

  1. If you have money left over from October on your EBT card, it will still be available for use in November.
  2. Alchemist CDC will continue to operate CalFresh booths at all of the markets we serve throughout the shutdown. If you have funds on your EBT card, you can use them at the markets we serve and receive Market Match to double your dollars (up to $15 per market per day).
  3. If you have CalFresh or Market Match vouchers from any of the farmers’ markets we serve, you can still spend them at the markets in November. Your vouchers are still good!
  4. If you have children enrolled in a public school, they can have free breakfast before class every school day. In California, school breakfast is free for all public school students without any paperwork or approvals. Many students eat free lunch, but not everyone knows about breakfast. Every free breakfast means a little more money in your grocery budget for the rest of the family and the rest of the week.

In short: SNAP will return even if it is delayed by the government shutdown, and your CalFresh and Market Match vouchers are still as good as cash at the farmers’ markets!

How You Can Help

Donations

  1. Local food bank programs are facing an unprecedented hunger emergency with the SNAP crisis. Donating directly to a local food bank is a great idea. If you are able to donate money, that has the biggest impact because food banks are able to purchase food at lower prices, so your dollar does more.
  2. You can also donate toward our Community Food Connections program, which delivers groceries to the most vulnerable families with school age children in the Sacramento City Unified School District (SCUSD).
  3. You can find creative ways to help feed your neighbors. This might mean supporting different mutual aid efforts who prepare and distribute meals, setting up or supporting a little free pantry outside your home, donating to a food closet nearby, or making extra servings of dinner to share with neighbors.

Shift your Shopping

As we mentioned above, the SNAP funding crisis is going to hit food retailers hard. This is especially true of small, local farms who sell at farmers’ markets and farm stands. They will be losing tens of thousands of dollars of CalFresh and Market Match revenue for the duration of the SNAP crisis and need your help. If you can make a change to your weekly grocery shopping for as long as this crisis lasts, you can make a real difference to keep these local farms in business. We have a complete guide to local farmers’ markets to help you get started!

  1. Make a commitment to shop at a local farmers’ market at least once a week during the SNAP crisis and buy more of your groceries at the market if you are already a regular.
  2. Let your friends and family know about the need to support local farmers right now, and invite them to join you at the farmers’ market.
  3. Share about your experience shopping at the farmers’ market on social media to help more people know that they can help, too. Use #farmtoeveryfork and tag us on social media for even more impact.

By shifting your shopping habits during this SNAP crisis, you will not just keep local family farms alive, but also get to enjoy fresh, delicious foods; meet the people who grow your food; and learn about fruits and vegetables you may never have tasted before!

Raise Your Voice

While we all need to do what we can to help our communities weather the SNAP funding crisis, we need SNAP funding restored and working normally. Food banks play an incredibly important role, but they cannot possibly make up for continued delays in SNAP funding.

  1. You can contact your federal representatives in the House of Representatives, US Senate, and at the White House to let them know that SNAP must be restored immediately.
  2. You can also write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper or post on social media about the importance of SNAP. Many organizations, including Alchemist CDC (Facebook / Instagram), have been posting about the importance of SNAP and sharing those posts can help raise awareness as well.

Share Accurate Information, Not Rumors

We are doing everything we can to share accurate information about this crisis because rumors and misinformation can cause unnecessary panic and prevent people from planning well. The situation is a genuine hunger crisis, and CalFresh participants are not helped by false rumors or empty reassurances.

Additional Resources

Hunger Resources

Information Resources

Media / Press

Media inquiries: contact media@alchemistcdc.org

In the News: under construction

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Is it true that stores and retailers who usually accept EBT won’t get paid if they accept EBT during the shutdown?
A1: No. If a customer’s EBT card has funds on it and the transaction goes through, the store/retailer will be paid as usual.