WCCA TV recorded an emergency press conference held at Worcester City Hall on October 30, 2025, regarding SNAP and Heating Assistance Benefits. Speakers included Mayor Joe Petty, Congressman James McGovern, City Manager Eric Batista, and United Way of Central Massachusetts President and CEO Tim Garvin, among others. SNAP provides food benefits to low-income families to help supplement their grocery budgets, ensuring access to nutritious food essential for health and well-being. Due to the federal government shutdown, SNAP benefits were at risk of not being fully funded as of November 2025. A federal judge in Massachusetts ordered the government to use contingency funds to provide partial benefits, but the money is insufficient to sustain the full program. The USDA is expected to deplete its SNAP contingency fund, leaving no resources for new applicants or to cushion against further shutdown consequences.
Posted November 11th 2025 2:31am.