Federal Shutdown Puts WI Food Assistance at Risk: FoodShare to Run Out of Funding on 10/31 Unless Government Re-opens
- Lynn Meshke
- Oct 23, 2025
- 2 min read
Urgent Update: Wisconsin FoodShare (SNAP) Funding at Risk Due to Federal Shutdown – October 23, 2025
Our Wisconsin FoodShare Program will run out of funding on October 31. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has announced that FoodShare benefits might not be available in November if the federal government shutdown continues. FoodShare — which provides monthly assistance for groceries to nearly 700,000 Wisconsin residents — is funded only by the federal government.
According to federal officials, insufficient funds will make it impossible to issue full November SNAP (FoodShare) benefits nationwide, affecting approximately 42 million people. States have been directed to delay processing benefits until further notice.
You can read Governor Evers’ press release on the situation which includes his message to US Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins here.
What FoodShare Members Should Know
• October benefits have been funded as usual.
• November benefits are on hold until the federal shutdown ends and funding resumes.
• Members should consider using any remaining October benefits to purchase nonperishable food items.
• DHS is mailing notices to FoodShare members this week and posting updates online at the FoodShare News & Updates webpage.
When federal funding resumes, DHS will work with federal partners to restart benefit distribution as quickly as possible. Even if the government shutdown ends tomorrow, November benefits will still be delayed.
WIC Benefits Remain Available
The Wisconsin Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program remains fully operational at this time.
• Members can continue to use their benefits and attend appointments.
• No action is needed from participants.
• If changes occur, DHS will notify WIC members and providers immediately.
Other Assistance and Resources
If you or someone you know needs help finding food or infant formula, you can contact 211 Wisconsin for information and referrals to local services:
• Dial 211 or 877-947-2211
• Visit 211wisconsin.communityos.org
• Text your ZIP code to 898211
Stay Informed
DHS encourages FoodShare, Medicaid, and BadgerCare Plus members to keep contact information current at ACCESS.wi.gov or via the MyACCESS smartphone app.
Program updates will be posted through:
• DHS social media and press releases
Why is This Happening?
The current federal shutdown stems from ongoing budget negotiations in Congress focused on whether or not to extend the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits which impact 22M Americans and are set to expire on December 31. 78% of Americans favor extending the ACA tax credits. Until a continuing resolution is passed through both chambers of Congress, and the government re-opens, programs like FoodShare that rely entirely on federal appropriations cannot distribute benefits.
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