Officials in several states — including California, Kansas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — said SNAP recipients were beginning to receive monthly benefits by Friday afternoon. “Food benefits are now beginning to flow back to California families,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom, whose state has roughly 5.5 million SNAP recipients.

A federal judge ordered the Trump administration on Thursday to fund food stamps in full for roughly 42 million low-income Americans, after admonishing the government for delaying aid under the nation’s largest anti-hunger program during the shutdown.

America has a lifeline against hunger: ultra-processed foods. Millions of the poorest Americans are stuck in food-stamp limbo. They still do not know when their benefits will arrive—or if they will at all.

Is SNAP the same as food stamps? Having access to these benefits will be affected by a government shutdown. Details to follow.

Food pantries across the Chicago area have continued to experience a surge in the number of people they're serving as the federal government shutdown continues.