Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has issued an alert that its Basic Food programme, the state’s portion of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), may be unable to issue benefits after October 31 unless federal funding is restored.

More than 540,000 households in the state—representing nearly 930,000 individuals—received Basic Food benefits last month, underlining the scale of the potential disruption.

The federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, has halted key appropriations including those that fund SNAP. The U.S. Department of Agriculture informed states that funds may be insufficient to issue full November payments and that emergency reserves will not be used.

Washington’s notice states that food and cash benefits currently scheduled for October will be issued, but that issuance after October 31 is not guaranteed.

State officials warn that the pause of benefits would have “devastating impacts on the well-being of Washingtonians and hurt local economies across the state,” as one DSHS spokesperson noted.

Families dependent on Basic Food face reduced purchasing power just ahead of the holiday season, while food banks and other support networks brace for increased demand.

Meanwhile, the broader SNAP programme serves about 42 million Americans; the U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed that if the funding impasse continues, benefits scheduled for November may not be distributed nationally starting November 1. Some states are exploring short-term measures, but without federal reimbursement, they say the cost would be unsustainable.

In Washington, the stakes are high: the Basic Food programme lines up monthly benefits based on federal allotments, and any interruption could force households to defer essentials or rely on overstretched charitable services.

With Congress still deadlocked over funding legislation, the state is advising households to plan for possible disruptions and explore local relief options.