When will SNAP benefits return in NC? Will WIC money run out? What we know
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- Shutdown halted SNAP payments for 1.4M North Carolina residents, forcing shortfalls.
- Court ordered agencies to tap emergency funds to resume SNAP benefits.
- States face authorization, file uploads and EBT loading delays before payments.
More than 1.4 million North Carolina residents are facing a grim grocery gap this month.
With the ongoing government shutdown, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits haven’t hit recipients’ EBT cards.
On Monday, Nov. 4, the Trump administration told federal courts it will tap into a contingency fund to distribute partial November payments, covering roughly half of recipients’ usual allotments, Politico reported. The government also warned some states may face delays of weeks or even months before the money hits EBT cards.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters during a press briefing Tuesday that the administration is following the federal court order and trying to get as many SNAP payments out as fast as possible, Axios reported.
That came after President Trump caused confusion by posting on Truth Social Tuesday that benefits wouldn’t go out until the federal government reopens. When pressed on that comment, Leavitt said he was talking about future payments, The Hill reported.
Here’s what you need to know.
When will SNAP benefits go out in NC?
NCDHHS anticipates that partial November SNAP benefits will begin being added to EBT cards by early next week, the agency said in an emailed statement to The Charlotte Observer on Monday, Nov. 3 evening.
The department is still waiting for guidance from the USDA and must update its systems before issuing payments, but officials said they are “working as quickly as possible to ensure North Carolinians have timely access to these essential food benefits.”
But there are some key factors that could delay those benefits.
With the federal government shutdown and delays in releasing emergency funds, states don’t have a clear roadmap or guaranteed resources, which makes it harder to get SNAP benefits out on time, TIME reported. It’s also unclear how many USDA employees have been furloughed or reassigned due to the government shutdown, which could further contribute to payment delays.
Even after funding is secured, states must receive authorization, upload files and load EBT cards, which can be a lengthy process in some cases.
How long will it take SNAP benefits to reach EBT cards?
The Associated Press reported that “the process of loading cards can take a week or more in many states.”
Once federal funds are released, there’s still a series of steps before recipients see the money. States must first get authorization from the USDA, then upload eligibility files and finally load the benefits onto EBT cards.
Why won’t SNAP recipients get their full benefit amounts?
According to the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), due to federal funding constraints, states will have to issue prorated benefits (partial amounts of what households are owed) because the USDA “will need to determine how to calculate and authorize prorated amounts before states can proceed.”
An audit found that about $83 million in SNAP benefits were delivered late in North Carolina, affecting more than 290,000 payments, The N&O reported. And because the federal government is only working with backup funding right now, the FRAC says states might have to send out reduced SNAP payments at first until full funding comes through.
How will WIC benefits be affected in November?
NCDHHS does not have the funding to maintain Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits past early November, the department said in a recent news release, meaning the 262,000 North Carolinians who rely on the program may see decreased payments.
Even though WIC services have never actually stopped during a government shutdown, some states have already started scaling back services, The Guardian reported. A WIC office in Lyon County, Kansas, had to close last month, Mississippi has put most new applications on hold, and places like Colorado and Connecticut are tapping state funds to keep the program running.
What to do while waiting for benefits
If you or someone you know needs support, check out our our guide on where to get help, including food assistance hotlines, food pantries and nonprofit information for Mecklenburg County, Wake, Durham, Johnston and Chatham counties.
We’ve also put together a guide on North Carolina restaurants offering free meals to federal workers and residents enrolled in the SNAP program.
For mental health resources during these uncertain times, check out The News & Observer’s mental health resource guide, which features information about immediate help during a mental health crisis, as well as help for LGBTQ+ people, people of color, children and families, people with disabilities and people experiencing homelessness.
Want to help?
Check out the Observer’s guide to food banks in the Charlotte area and The N&O’s guide to food banks in the Triangle to find out more about how you can donate in your area.
This story has been updated.
This story was originally published November 3, 2025 at 3:19 PM with the headline "When will SNAP benefits return in NC? Will WIC money run out? What we know."
