Gov. Janet Mills announced Friday afternoon that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will be fully funded in November, citing a U.S. Department of Agriculture memo that said it was working to make the money available to recipients.

Nearly 170,000 Mainers who receive SNAP benefits were not going to receive payments this month because of the ongoing federal government shutdown.

Following a number of lawsuits — one of which Maine is part of — and ensuing court orders requiring the Trump administration to release funding for the program by Friday, the USDA said on Friday that it would fully fund the program while the administration appeals.

“(Food and Nutrition Service) is working towards implementing November 2025 full benefit issuances in compliance with the November 6, 2025, order from the District Court of Rhode Island,” Patrick Penn, the USDA’s deputy under secretary of FNS, wrote in a letter to SNAP division directors Friday. “Later today, FNS will complete the processes necessary to make funds available to support your subsequent transmittal of full issuance files to your EBT processor.”

Following the USDA memo, Mills ordered the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to issue this month’s benefits to the state’s SNAP recipients.

Because of the federal government shutdown, the Trump administration originally had said that SNAP benefits would not be available in November. However, two judges ruled last week that the administration could not skip November’s benefits entirely because of the shutdown. One of those judges was U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr., who ordered the full payments Thursday.

But the administration asked an appeals court to suspend any court orders requiring it to spend more money than is available in a contingency fund, and instead allow it to continue with its planned partial SNAP payments for the month.

The court denied the administration’s appeal on Friday and the Trump administration quickly asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up its request. It was unclear Friday night when that might happen and whether it would affect the SNAP funding.

In her announcement, Mills said the Trump administration’s withholding of contingency funding for SNAP benefits “was a wrong and callous decision that should not have needed a court order to reverse.”

“I have directed DHHS to issue full November benefits to eligible households – as USDA said today it will provide the funding to do so — to ensure thousands of Maine people don’t go hungry in November,” Mills said.

The distribution of benefits will begin next week, in line with Maine’s usual schedule: between the 10th and 14th of each month.

“SNAP benefits will be available beginning the week of November 10, in line with Maine’s standard issuance timelines,” Ian Yaffe, Maine DHHS’ director for the Office for Family Independence, said in a statement Friday. “SNAP households should check their EBT card balance on their typical date of issuance to see their November standard issuance amount.”

SNAP applications and renewals will continue to be processed by Maine DHHS for the duration of the shutdown.

Food banks and pantries in Maine have reported a 20% to 50% increase in demand for their services because of the threatened loss of SNAP benefits, but have seen a surge in volunteers and donations in recent weeks. Many restaurants and businesses have also stepped up, either by providing free or discounted food or by collaborating with local pantries.

The SNAP program serves about 1 in 8 Americans, roughly 42 millon people, and is a major piece of the nation’s social safety net. It costs more than $8 billion per month nationally.

About $29 million is issued monthly to provide SNAP benefits for nearly 170,000 people in Maine, or 12.5% of the state. The average monthly benefit for a family of four is $572.

“SNAP is a lifeline that helps Maine people keep food on the table and sustains our local food economy,” said Maine DHHS Commissioner Sara Gagé-Holmes. “We are relieved that full benefits will issue and that Maine people will receive their November SNAP benefits timely.”

Last month, Mills issued over $1.2 million to assist food pantries in keeping up with an increasing demand for their services.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, had sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins last month calling on the agency to ensure SNAP benefits continue during the shutdown.

“While I am pleased that the administration will fund SNAP payments following my letter … and the courts’ rulings, the potential delays in getting this funding to recipients highlight the urgent need to reopen government and prevent any further disruptions,” Collins said in a statement Friday.

Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, described the administration’s reluctance as “disgraceful” and said it is “a stark reminder of how this reckless federal shutdown is punishing ordinary Americans.”

“SNAP isn’t a luxury,” Pingree said in a statement Friday night. “It’s the difference between dinner and an empty plate for working families, older adults, veterans and children across our state.”

A spokesperson for Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, emphasized on Friday that the situation is still unfolding following the Trump administration’s appeal to the Supreme Court, but highlighted King’s calls over the past month for SNAP funds to be distributed, including a bill he co-sponsored to keep food aid going during the shutdown.

A spokesperson for Rep. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry said that “it should never have taken multiple court orders” for the funds to be released.

“The emotional toll this uncertainty has caused for Maine families is unacceptable — and it stems directly from the political brinkmanship of the Trump administration,” Daughtry said. “At a time when so many people are already facing economic strain, it is simply cruel to play politics with the programs that help families put food on the table.”

Daughtry said the process has exhibited the judicial branch’s key contribution to American democracy.

“When one branch of government overreaches or fails to uphold its responsibilities, the courts play a critical role in protecting the rights and well-being of everyday Americans,” Daughtry said.

This is a developing story.

This story contains reporting by The Associated Press.