Massachusetts SNAP benefits to be paid 'in full' Saturday, says governor

Joe Dwinell, Boston Herald on Nov 7, 2025

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BOSTON — Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said SNAP benefits will be paid “IN FULL” starting Saturday, adding that others who haven’t missed a payment will keep seeing the next installment.

The governor posted the announcement on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday afternoon, adding, “people need to eat. We’re making sure they do.”

A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the Trump administration to find the money to fully fund SNAP benefits for November, a decision that was quickly appealed.

However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent correspondence to states saying that they will “complete preparations today (Friday) for states to issue full November SNAP benefits.”

The governor’s office said the state Department of Transitional Assistance is “directing our payment processor to process these payments. So we expect benefits to start going onto cards tomorrow (Saturday). The state does not receive the funds directly from the federal government.”

This is all unfolding as Congress remains in a shutdown that is hurting airlines and federal workers nationwide.

“Americans are going hungry because President Trump chose to play politics with their lives,” Healey said in her social media statement. “SNAP recipients who have missed a payment should start seeing benefits on their cards as early as tomorrow.”

The president posted to Truth Social that the Senate “should not leave” DC over the weekend “until they have a Deal to end the Democratic Shutdown.” That would also restore food stamp payments.

The president has stated for days — and repeated it Friday — that Republicans should “terminate the filibuster” that requires a 60-vote consensus in the Senate to end the shutdown and “take care of our Great American Workers!”

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