SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, ceased issuing benefits on Nov. 1, affecting approximately 1 in 20 people in Rutherford County, Tennessee, according to The Tennesseean. The program is funded by the federal government, which has been in a shutdown since Oct. 1 after failing to pass a budget bill.

Residents who attempt to contact Rutherford County’s Housing, Health, and Human Services — the organization responsible for administering SNAP for the county — are met with an automated voice message stating that benefits will not be available. 

“This situation is beyond TDHS (Tennessee Department of Human Services) control,” the automated voice message said.

In Tennessee, 9.8% of the population utilizes SNAP benefits, which is lower than the national average of 12.3%. Still, roughly 700,000 Tennesseeans benefit from SNAP each month.

While federal judges pushed the Trump administration to provide some funding for SNAP in November, the Tennessee Department of Human Services warns that recipients may not see benefits until after the government is reopened.

What is SNAP?

Established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, SNAP, or food stamps, is the United States’ most extensive anti-hunger program.

The United States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Nutrition Service administer these benefits, which support approximately 41.7 million food-insecure Americans every month. 

Each month, SNAP benefits are loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT card. These cards function like debit cards, enabling users to make purchases at grocery stores, farmers’ markets and certain online retailers.

SNAP benefits help Americans who are vulnerable to food insecurity, according to Julia Wolfson, an associate professor in International Health and Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins University. 

Households affected by food insecurity can use SNAP benefits to purchase staples such as fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, bread, cereal, as well as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages, according to the program’s parameters.

Why is SNAP not being funded in Tennessee?

The government shut down at the beginning of the 2026 fiscal year, Oct. 1, after Congress failed to pass appropriations bills that finance government operations, such as SNAP. Congress also failed to pass any continuing resolutions that would finance operations for a longer period, delaying the passage of full appropriations bills, which often rely on bipartisan support.

SNAP benefits cost $145 million a month in Tennessee, which is 7% of the state’s $2.15 billion rainy day fund, according to Tennessee’s Budget for the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year. 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee will not use the emergency state dollars, citing technical difficulties in administering state money to federal cards. However, states like New Mexico used state funding to secure SNAP benefits during the federal program’s uncertainty.

Lee launched FeedTN.org, a website to connect Tennesseans to information about food banks and resources. In an official statement, Lee encouraged people to donate to and volunteer at local food banks before SNAP benefits are reinstated.

The shutdown is not expected to end until at least Wednesday, according to Politico, and Congress still requires bipartisan support for any movement on the partisan budget standstill.

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