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By Aliss Higham
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Food banks are warning that they are already feeling the effects of a sharp decline in participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as millions of Americans lose access to benefits following major federal policy changes.
New data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), published May 14, shows that between January 2025 and February 2026, SNAP enrollment had fallen by around 4.95 million. The decline accelerated after changes introduced under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) took effect in mid-2025, tightening eligibility requirements and expanding work rules for some recipients.
Advocates and food assistance organizations say the drop in enrollment is shifting pressure onto food banks and local pantries that are already struggling to meet demand.
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Food Banks Feel Pressure
SNAP is the largest federal anti-hunger program in the United States. Beneficiaries receive benefits onto a preloaded card that can be used at participating retailers. The average benefit for a household is $354.32 per month. There were 42.8 million people receiving SNAP in January 2025. Just over a year later, that had dropped to 37.8 million. That marks up as an 11 percent drop in participation in just 13 months.
Meg Kimmel, president and CEO of the Maryland Food Bank, told Newsweek that organizations on the ground are beginning to see the consequences of the new legislation, which includes tightening work requirements and removing exemptions that previously applied to groups including veterans, homeless individuals and former foster youth.
“From our vantage point in Maryland, we are anticipating, and already beginning to see, the downstream effects of recent federal changes to SNAP eligibility and work requirements,” Kimmel said.
In Maryland, around 680,000 people were collecting SNAP benefits in January 2025. By the start of this year, participation had dropped to around 644,000.
According to Kimmel, food banks are seeing more people turning to charitable food programs as SNAP participation falls.
“Our partner network expects, and is beginning to see, increased demand as SNAP participation declines,” she said. “Historically, when access to SNAP is reduced, more people turn to food banks and local pantries to fill the gap.”
She described SNAP as “the most effective tool we have to fight hunger,” adding that when access shrinks, “the need doesn’t go away—it simply shifts to the charitable food network.”
Kimmel said many of the people now seeking help are families and individuals who had previously been financially stable but are struggling to comply with new administrative requirements.
“Our partner pantries are seeing more individuals and families who have recently lost SNAP benefits or are struggling to maintain eligibility under new requirements,” she said.
She said many households are facing difficulties such as transportation barriers, caregiving responsibilities, limited access to technology, or challenges completing paperwork and recertification processes.
“In many cases, these are people who were previously stable and are now seeking help for the first time or returning after a long period without needing assistance,” Kimmel added.
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Why Have Some SNAP Recipients Lost Benefits?
The sharp drop in SNAP participation has been closely tied to the policy changes enacted under the OBBBA in July 2025.
Among the most significant changes was the expansion of work requirements for adults up to age 64. Stricter conditions were also introduced for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents, who must now meet expanded employment or training requirements to maintain eligibility.
Groups that had previously been exempt from these rules, including veterans, homeless individuals and former foster youth, were also brought into the work requirement system.
At the same time, caregiver exemptions were narrowed. Some parents with children aged 14 and older are now required to meet work or training conditions to continue receiving benefits.
Advocates say the changes have affected not only who qualifies for assistance but also whether recipients can navigate the administrative process required to keep benefits.
Recipients generally must recertify their eligibility every three to six months depending on their state. Missing paperwork deadlines or failing to complete updated requirements can result in benefits being terminated, even when income levels have not changed significantly.
“Many of these households are navigating administrative hurdles like paperwork or recertification,” Kimmel said.
Concerns Over Food Bank Capacity
Food banks say they cannot replace the scale of assistance provided through SNAP if participation continues to decline.
“The short answer is no,” Kimmel said when asked whether food banks could absorb sustained increases in demand. “The charitable food network cannot replace SNAP. Food banks play a critical role, but SNAP provides a consistent, reliable source of food assistance at a scale that charities simply cannot match.”
She warned that continued declines in participation would place “significant strain on food banks, pantries and the communities we serve.”
Kate Burggraff, executive director of the Foundation for Essential Needs in Minnesota, where participation has dropped by around 15,000 year-over-year, echoed the same concerns, telling Newsweek that food shelves would continue trying to meet community needs but may eventually be forced to make difficult operational choices.
“From the food shelf perspective, the question is less whether food shelves will respond, because they will, and more what trade-offs they will have to make if demand continues to rise without additional resources,” Burggraff said.
She said organizations are attempting to adapt through fundraising, volunteer coordination and sourcing food creatively but warned that sustained pressure could alter the level of service available.
“Over time, food shelves may have to make difficult decisions about how often families can visit, how much food they can provide, how much choice shoppers have and how consistently they can offer the fresh, nourishing foods families seek,” Burggraff said.
Difficult Choices
Food assistance groups also say the loss of SNAP benefits is changing how families buy and consume food. Kimmel said households that lose benefits are often forced into unhealthy compromises.
“We see people stretching meals, skipping meals and purchasing lower-cost, less-nutritious foods just to get by,” she said. “That can have long-term impacts on health and well-being. Food insecurity isn’t just about quantity, it’s also about quality.”
Burggraff pointed to findings from the 2025 Minnesota Food Shelf Shopper Survey, which polled 9,759 food-shelf shoppers between April and June 2025, that 72 percent of shoppers reported choosing between food and other essential expenses.
“To explain how this plays out in a real way, it means our local families are choosing between groceries and rent, groceries and transportation, or groceries and medical needs,” she said.
The survey also found that 52 percent of shoppers required specific foods to manage health conditions or chronic illnesses. Burggraff said families often prioritize fresh produce, dairy, eggs, meat, poultry and fish, but reduced food resources limit access to those items.
“When household food resources are reduced, the concern is that families have less flexibility to choose the foods that support their health,” she said.
She added that food-shelf access itself is not always straightforward. According to the survey, 48 percent of shoppers reported challenges accessing food shelves because of transportation issues, limited operating hours, available food options or stigma associated with seeking help.
“When families lose or have less access to food resources and support, the impact is not only whether they have enough to eat but it is whether they can access the kinds of food that support their health, dignity and stability,” Burggraff said.
Ripple Effects
Some warn that the decline in SNAP participation could have broader economic and public health consequences beyond food insecurity alone.
Janelle Waldock, director of community health policy at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, told Newsweek that SNAP plays a major role in supporting local economies.
“SNAP is our nation’s most foundational hunger relief program, with significant benefits to community health and local economies,” Waldock said.
She said that in Minnesota, “every $1 in SNAP benefits generates up to $1.50 in local economic activity at grocery stores, farmers markets, and providing income to local farmers. These are benefits that have a ripple effect across communities.”
Waldock also said that research has linked SNAP participation with improved long-term health outcomes and lower healthcare costs.
“Participation in SNAP is consistently associated with lower rates of hospitalizations and emergency department use, better management of diabetes and hypertension, and improved mental health,” she said.
She warned that declining enrollment could therefore have consequences beyond hunger relief.
“Reduced participation in SNAP carries significant risks to the health of our communities and could seriously jeopardize urban and rural economic growth across the nation,” Waldock said.
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