SNAP, North Texas and Food Bank
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Austin-area businesses, churches and nonprofits are offering free meals to help people affected by the delays. Here’s where to get help if you need it and help others if you can.
After SNAP benefits were halted Saturday, the USDA reminded retailers they must comply with the Equal Treatment Rule, which bars special food discounts for SNAP/EBT customers.
KPRC 2 received more information on how the federal government is calculating the reduced SNAP benefits for the month of November as the government shutdown endures its record-tying 35th day.
Several restaurants are offering discounted or free meals, and assistance is available through food banks and these community groups.
While the USDA’s notice focuses on maintaining equal treatment among shoppers, state-level changes to SNAP are also on the horizon. Texas and several other states are preparing to restrict purchases of certain “junk food” and soft drinks with SNAP benefits beginning in 2026.
As millions of low-income Americans struggle to figure out where their next meal is going to come from amid cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, otherwise known as SNAP or food stamps, retailers across the country have stepped in to help fill the gaps .