Mayor Wu, Boston Officials Share Local Response To Looming Lapse In SNAP Benefits

Mayor Michelle Wu today joined municipal leaders and partner organizations in updating the public about the local response in cities around the region to the potential lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits caused by the Trump Administration's decision to withhold SNAP benefits starting on November 1. Mayor Wu announced a new partnership with The Boston Foundation and non-profit organizations that serve low-income Bostonians to support families in need. Together, with funds from the City of Boston and The Boston Foundation, more than $1 million has been raised so far for these efforts. Mayor Wu also announced a citywide outreach effort to ensure impacted residents have every possible resource to afford food and necessities. Boston residents are encouraged to visit Boston.gov/SNAP or call Boston 311 to learn more about the City resources that are available for support.

More than 140,000 Boston residents (1 in 5 residents), or 89,000 households, participated in SNAP in September 2025. Statewide, just over 30 percent of SNAP recipients are children, 28 percent are people with disabilities and 23 percent are people aged 60 years or older. The average monthly benefit is $323 per household.

SNAP is also critical to the local food economy. An average of $30 million per month in SNAP dollars were spent at Boston grocery stores, farmers markets and other food retailers last year, and over half of the city's SNAP spending is in Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park––risking disproportionate economic impact in these neighborhoods.

"While the President plays politics with hunger, Boston is determined to protect our residents with every possible resource and stand with every community fighting back against these illegal and immoral actions," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "SNAP benefits provide a core lifeline for millions of Americans across the country, including our Boston children, seniors, and families. I'm so grateful to The Boston Foundation and our many partner organizations joining us in stepping up to coordinate all resources available to support our residents."

Mayor Wu is partnering with The Boston Foundation to support non-profit organizations that serve low-income Bostonians and  families in need.

The City of Boston is joining The Boston Foundation to raise funds to provide financial resources to trusted community-based organizations that serve low-income residents, including through gift cards or other forms of direct assistance. This allows SNAP participants to continue shopping in grocery stores and small food retailers, preserving their dignity and autonomy while also supporting Boston's small businesses, without putting additional strain on the emergency food system.

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This effort is designed to be emergency support for residents on a short-term basis, and will not fill the gap left by the Trump Administration's suspension of SNAP benefits. Together, with funds from the City of Boston and The Boston Foundation, more than $1 million has been raised so far. Boston residents who are able to contribute to the fund are encouraged to donate at tbf.org/SNAP.

"The measure of a community is how we respond in moments of great human need. This is a humanitarian crisis. The Boston Foundation and our donor partners are very proud to partner with the Mayor and the City to meet this moment with compassion and hope," said Lee Pelton, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation. "I applaud and support Mayor Wu and her team for their bold and courageous leadership in acting swiftly to come to the aid of the already struggling families, children, seniors, and individuals who will now lose access to their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This cutoff threatens to deepen a growing hunger crisis across Boston and beyond."

"At the Y, we appreciate this collective action across sectors to bring all we can to bear to support our neighbors. It defines who are at the neighborhood, community, city, and regional level. No one should face the stress and uncertainty of not having adequate nutritious food. Its ripple effects weaken our communities whether it's the healthy development of kids, parents' reliability at work, or seniors aging with health and dignity.  We are sounding our voices and expanding our actions in the face of mounting economic pressure as the Administration changes eligibility and ceases SNAP benefits due to the shutdown. As the largest distributor for the Greater Boston Food Bank, the YMCA of Greater Boston provides over 3.2 million meals each year through grocery distributions, our Mobile Market, nutrition education, and youth meal programs. We've also expanded our efforts with a new Food Access Hub in Roxbury, increasing fresh food recovery and availability with the help of community partners. Proud to stand together on the frontlines in supporting our neighbors and mobilizing collective resources at this and all times of uncertainty," said David Shapiro, CEO, YMCA of Greater Boston.

"We all know that if nothing changes, November is going to be a challenging month for many of our neighbors. We are very grateful for Mayor Wu and the City's support of our mission. Amid all this uncertainty, one thing is clear, food is a basic human right, hunger is a non-partisan issue, and we will be here every day for our neighbors in need, until hunger no longer exists," said Catherine D'Amato, President and CEO of The Greater Boston Food Bank.

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"Every day, the frontline teams in the Human Services Cabinet connect residents to the programs and services that help them keep their households going," said José F. Massó, Chief of Human Services. "We remain committed to working with our nonprofit partners to support Boston residents through this challenging time."

"Access to fresh and healthy food has a direct impact on life expectancy and other health outcomes," said Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Commissioner of Public Health and Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission. "Allowing SNAP benefits to lapse will have dire consequences for thousands of our neighbors. I applaud the steps being taken by Mayor Wu and our community partners to help fill the gaps created by the federal administration's reckless and irresponsible actions."

"We know that SNAP is critical to many disabled residents' ability to live independent and self-directed lives," said Disability Commissioner and ADA Title II Coordinator Kristen McCosh. "We are grateful to food pantries, non-profit organizations, and other community groups who are working to ensure Bostonians with disabilities continue to have access to the food that is best for them."

The City of Boston is launching a citywide outreach effort to ensure impacted residents have every possible resource to afford food and necessities.

Recognizing the urgency to ensure residents are informed about food resources that are available, the City of Boston has trained its 311 call takers to triage food-related calls and launched Boston.gov/SNAP for a list of available resources for Boston residents facing food insecurity. Food resources still available include continued free meals served to all students in Boston Public Schools, as well as local, state and federal programs like WIC, the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) and Double Up Food Bucks. Through HIP, SNAP participants can leverage 1 cent or more on their EBT card to receive $40-80 for the month at farmers markets, farmstands and mobile markets. Residents can also find answers to frequently asked questions, including clarifying which state and federal programs are impacted by the federal government shutdown. The City's website ensures residents know where to go and how to access supports throughout this quickly evolving situation.

Additionally, the City of Boston will be launching direct outreach efforts to seniors, families with children, and other residents and small businesses with flyers about resources that are available. The City will also phone bank and door knock to meet residents where they are, as well as set up open house information sessions.

Through these efforts Mayor Wu announced today, the City is mitigating some of the negative economic impact of the sudden loss of SNAP sales revenue for food retailers and workers and ripple effects to the local economy, in addition to supporting recipients who are at risk of losing their benefits.

In September, Mayor Wu announced the expansion of the Double Up Food Bucks program to two new grocery stores in Dorchester and Roxbury, increasing families' access to fresh, affordable, and healthy food: Nubian Markets in Roxbury and the Dorchester Food Co-op in Dorchester. The DUFB program provides customers paying with SNAP a 50% discount on fresh fruits and vegetables. The other grocery store participants are East Boston's La Union Market and Butchery, Bella's Market, and El Valle de la Sultana, and Davey's Super Market of Roxbury. SNAP recipients can continue to receive the Double Up discount if they use any remaining SNAP benefits on their EBT card to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at these stores.

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