When the federal shutdown halted November’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments, millions of American families faced an abrupt loss of vital food support. In an unprecedented collaboration, the non-profit GiveDirectly and the app developer Propel mobilised swiftly, distributing $12 million in emergency cash to nearly a quarter of a million households.
The program emerged as a lifeline for recipients who were suddenly left without their food benefits. While the $50 payments were modest, many said they made a tangible difference, bridging a critical gap at a time when uncertainty over government funding left families anxious and struggling to afford groceries.
A fast-moving response to an unexpected crisis
The initiative began when Propel, an app used by around five million Americans to manage their electronic benefit transfers, detected missing SNAP deposits. A pop-up banner on the platform offered users the opportunity to apply for relief. According to GiveDirectly, the program reached more than 246,000 beneficiaries within days, marking its largest non-pandemic disaster response.
For Jade Grant, a 32-year-old nursing assistant from Palm Bay, Florida, the disruption could not have come at a worse time. “Everyone’s birthday is back-to-back,” she said, adding that the holidays were already straining her finances. When her food stamps failed to arrive, the $50 virtual gift card she received through Propel allowed her to buy a small birthday cake for her son, a modest gesture that meant far more under the circumstances.
GiveDirectly, which has previously provided direct cash aid after natural disasters, described the SNAP freeze as a “man-made disaster.” Dustin Palmer, the organisation’s U.S. Country Director, said the initiative’s goal was to deliver a quick, meaningful stopgap for families with children who had lost access to their benefits. Propel’s technology enabled the automatic identification of those affected, allowing the funds to be transferred almost immediately.
According to Propel Chief Executive Jimmy Chen, more than 90% of recipients chose virtual cards instead of physical ones, underscoring the urgency of the situation. “That speaks to the speed and need for people,” he said. “Just saying, ‘Oh yeah, I just need food today. I don’t want to wait to get it mailed.’”
Restoring trust amid growing uncertainty
The SNAP payment freeze did more than disrupt household budgets, it also eroded public confidence in government support systems. According to Propel’s internal surveys, many families were forced to borrow money to make ends meet during the delay, while others delayed utility or insurance payments to prioritise food.
For some, like Dianna Tompkins of Demotte, Indiana, the experience was deeply unsettling. “I watch it like a hawk, honestly,” she said of her benefits. When her usual $976 deposit failed to arrive, she described going into “panic mode.” The $50 cash grant, while limited, covered essentials such as milk and bread when local food pantries were overstretched. “It’s scary the government can just decide to not feed so many people,” she said.
The funding, which included contributions from over 5,000 individual donors and major partners like New York non-profit Robin Hood, revealed how collective action can fill urgent gaps when federal aid falters. The median donation, according to GiveDirectly, was $100, a reflection, Palmer noted, of how personally the issue resonated with many Americans.
While the government has since reinstated SNAP funding, Chen warned that the November freeze has left “a seed of doubt” among recipients. Even with new safeguards in place, many remain anxious that such interruptions could happen again. The swift $12 million intervention may have eased a momentary crisis, but the episode has underscored the fragility of a system millions rely upon to put food on the table.
