As the White House withholds a portion of funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program amid the five-week government shutdown, health systems have pledged donations to local food banks.
The Trump administration agreed Nov. 3 to partially fund SNAP after two federal judges ruled the administration must continue funding the program that helps more than 41 million low-income individuals.
In anticipation of a Nov. 1 SNAP funding halt, York, Pa.-based WellSpan Health announced Oct. 24 a planned $275,000 contribution to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. The donation builds on the system’s effort to improve food insecurity, which reached more than $1.5 million in contributions in 2024.
“As the region’s leading nonprofit health system, we’re committed to the health of the communities we serve, ensuring food is on the table for those in need across central Pennsylvania,” Roxanna Gapstur, PhD, RN, president and CEO of WellSpan, said in a statement. “Our mission and our responsibility as a nonprofit health system guides this important effort because lifelong wellness starts with the most basic of necessities.”
West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health said Nov. 4 it is providing $1 million to 14 local feeding organizations across New Jersey. Similar to WellSpan, RWJBarnabas Health said the contribution is part of a larger initiative to combat food insecurity.
Ali Raja, MD, executive vice chair of the emergency medicine department at Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital, told ABC affiliate WCVB food insecurity is tied to delayed care and a surge in patient volumes.
“When food benefits are disrupted, we see more patients just in crisis, not from hunger itself but from the ripple effects downstream,” Dr. Raja said, adding examples of malnutrition, fainting, infections and medication errors. “It’s a predictable surge in emergency visits that strains hospitals, especially safety net facilities. And I’m worried about it for the entire country.”
Similarly, Advocate Health, a 69-hospital system based in Charlotte, N.C., said Nov. 6 it is donating $1 million to community-based food organizations. The donation builds on a $2.6 million year-to-date investment to address food insecurity, according to Advocate.
On Nov. 10, Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health committed nearly $7 million to reduce food insecurity. The investment will fund a systemwide food drive, a new school-based nutrition initiative, and grocery and meal programs.
