Restaurants Feed Families After SNAP Pause

SNAP benefits were paused beginning Nov. 1 amid the federal government shutdown, leaving more than 40 million Americans at risk of sudden food insecurity. Restaurants, food trucks and nonprofits nationwide are offering free or discounted meals, pay‑what‑you‑can dinners, kids’ menus, soup programs and donation‑driven assistance to help fill the gap. Local efforts include Seattle spots such as Lenox and Spice Waala, Central Oregon and Maine restaurants, Jersey Shore and Philadelphia‑area eateries, and community programs in North Carolina and North Dakota providing daily hot meals, Thanksgiving kits or expanded service days. Washington state has directed nearly $2.2 million per week to local food banks, and two federal judges have ordered contingency funds to be tapped to cover benefits. Legal and administrative delays mean grassroots relief remains critical; organizers warn offers may change and urge people to check local listings and donate to food banks to sustain assistance.