Rhode Island’s Deepening Line: Feeding People Replaces Fixing Hunger

RINewsToday | By Staff Report

TODAY, October 28th, RI Gov. McKee will announce new actions to support Rhode Islanders as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will not replenish cards on November 1st, or after, during the federal government shutdown. He is set to address the public at 10:44am today at the RI Food Bank.

On Sunday, Oct. 26th, the USDA website added a top of the page notification regarding SNAP benefits:

What states are doing

The Associated Press wrote, “Officials in Louisiana, Vermont and Virginia pledged to keep food aid flowing to recipients in their states, even if the federal program is stalled next month because of the government shutdown. Other states’ attempts to use their own funds to support the program have faced technical hurdles, and it’s uncertain if the three new plans can overcome these.” Virginia declared a state of emergency which should free some restricted funds. Louisiana has confirmed it will use state funds to cover SNAP benefits temporarily (up to November 4) as a stop‑gap measure. Connecticut state government is providing $3 million in emergency state funding to Connecticut Foodshare to temporarily continue feeding Connecticut households. New York has announced that it is fast‑tracking $30 million in state emergency food‑aid funding to offset the lapse of federal SNAP benefits. Governor Kathy Hochul said the funds are aimed at helping provide “more than 16 million meals” for residents relying on food assistance.

One of the problems is that after the government shutdown is lifted the states may not be reimbursed for the millions spent. Rhode Island is expected to join with its food security programs to engage food banks and programs to help, and not to replenish SNAP cards.

A decade of data, programs, and paradoxes: when everyone’s being fed, how do we know who’s still hungry?

Federal Aid: 10 years of SNAP (including P-EBT, Pandemic Years SNAP)

Over the past decade, an average of 155,800 Rhode Islanders — roughly one in seven residents — have received monthly SNAP benefits. Participation surged during the pandemic and then leveled off, but the amount per person has climbed sharply, reaching a record $200 a month in 2025.

The entire program is federally funded, with Rhode Island’s share limited to administrative costs of about $10–14 million annually. Federal benefit payments to households now total roughly $295 million each year.

During the pandemic, families also received P-EBT (Pandemic Years EBT) — cards issued to children to replace school meals. Between 2020 and 2023, those cards added nearly $200 million in extra aid statewide.

Federal Food Assistance in Rhode Island, 2016–2025
This chart tracks Rhode Island’s decade of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) participation and average benefits per person — along with the three years of temporary P-EBT cards issued during the pandemic.

The teal and purple bars represent average monthly benefit amounts, while the dashed teal line shows the number of residents receiving aid. Even as enrollment fell slightly after COVID, the dollar value of benefits continued to climb, reflecting inflation adjustments and ongoing economic strain.

Together, the chart shows a paradox: fewer people, more money, deeper dependence.

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How much can a family receive? We’ve all heard of people with hundreds of dollars on their cards, most being carried over from prior months, which is possible.  For one family we asked how could they qualify for a $900 monthly amount. A Rhode Island family can get around $900/month in SNAP when they’re a 4-person household at or near zero income.  And, there are maximums based on family size (often including a senior or a disabled member).  Here is that chart:

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Beyond SNAP: Food Banks and Local Lines

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank (RICFB) serves as the state’s central distributor for more than 130 member agencies. Its average monthly caseload has grown from about 53,000 people in 2018 to more than 84,000 today, and pounds of food distributed have jumped from 11 million to 18 million in the same period.

Even with record totals, the lines haven’t shortened. In Pawtucket, the Elisha Project drew over 600 families to one distribution — some waiting overnight for food and household supplies. Organizers said they had never seen such demand.

RICFB reports show consistent year-over-year growth in clients and distribution, even after pandemic emergency aid ended.

Myth or Reality: “Hunger Is Growing in Rhode Island”

Food Bank data show rising distribution every year since 2018 — but federal aid and community food options have also reached record highs. Whether that reflects increased need or expanded access is open to debate.

The myth is that hunger always equals lack of supply. The reality may be more complex — overlapping programs, higher expectations, and shifting definitions of “food insecurity.”

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Community Food Resources Beyond the RI Food Bank:

Elisha Project (Pawtucket), Good Neighbors RI (East Providence), Operation Stand Down RI (Johnston), MAE Organization for the Homeless (Cranston/Providence), RICAN (Charlestown), St. Edward Food & Wellness Center (North Providence), Jonnycake Center for Hope (Peace Dale), Jonnycake Center of Westerly, Tides Family Services (Central Falls), East Providence HS Pantry, Project Hand Up (West Warwick), Westbay Community Action (Warwick), Crossroads RI Kitchen (Providence), Salvation Army (statewide), Tap-In (Barrington).

Feeding the Children

Rhode Island schools now feed children before, during, and after school — and even on weekends. Every district provides free breakfast and lunch; many serve after-school dinners through CACFP; and at least 20 schools send backpack meals home each Friday.

During summer, the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) opens more than 200 grab-and-go sites — parks, schools, libraries — with no income qualifiers. Any child or teen can receive a weekday meal, no paperwork required.

The Season of Giving and Taking

In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, Rhode Island’s food network shifts into overdrive. Churches, schools, and nonprofits line up giveaways of turkeys, full dinner baskets, and grocery gift cards. Pawtucket alone will host several distributions, while Cranston’s drive-up ‘no-questions-asked’ turkey line is expected to serve hundreds of cars in a single morning.

Adding to the anxiety, federal SNAP benefits may be reduced or even eliminated starting November 1st for the 42 million people who receive assistance, with no clear timeline for restoration due to the government shutdown. This week the USDA said they cannot use emergency funds to keep the program going.  States that do it on their own, such as Virginia, may not get reimbursed when the program does start up again. Some states are recommending people use whatever benefits they may have left to buy “staple foods”, that will last longer. Pennsylvania has already stopped benefits mid-October. That uncertainty is fueling longer lines and early sign-ups as families brace for another possible cut. The Rhode Island Community Food Bank has already warned that if donations don’t rise to meet the surge, ‘that will be it.’ Advocates urge residents to plan ahead and support local resources before shelves run bare. 12% of all Americans are said to be on SNAP, with 1/3 of all recipients being children.  In RI that figure of all on SNAP rises even higher.

 “When everyone’s being fed, how do we know who’s still hungry?”

Postscript – The Perpetual Appeal

Rhode Island’s population has held steady at about 1.1 million, and unemployment remains low by historic standards. The crisis isn’t joblessness — it’s affordability. Even working families face rising rent, housing costs, utilities, and insurance premiums that leave little left at the end of the month. Food is often the only flexible expense — and the one most easily supplemented by free programs.

Every November, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank repeats the same message: record demand, record hunger, record need. That may reflect true hardship, or simply a new definition of need in a high-cost state. Either way, the story rarely changes.

Meanwhile, generosity hasn’t faltered. This past weekend the ELISHA Project gave food, household items and personal products away at a parking lot in Pawtucket. Some cars showed up overnight to get in line. 600 cars were serviced on one morning.

Next weekend’s Scouting for Food drive will see thousands of Boy Scouts and volunteers collecting groceries from porches across Rhode Island — one of the state’s oldest, most trusted food drives. Year after year, residents fill those bags without fail.

“For a state of just over a million people, Rhode Island’s ability to feed itself — again and again — is remarkable. And maybe that’s the real story.”

Notes and Sources

• Rhode Island Department of Human Services (DHS) – SNAP Annual Reports and Public Assistance Data Tables, 2016–2025
• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – SNAP State Activity Reports
• Rhode Island Community Food Bank – Status Report on Hunger in Rhode Island, 2018–2025
• Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) – School Nutrition and CACFP data, 2023–2025
• USDA – Summer Food Service Program and Summer EBT implementation reports
• Local nonprofit and community providers: The Elisha Project, Operation Stand Down RI, MAE Organization, Good Neighbors RI, RICAN, Jonnycake Centers, etc.

Compiled and analyzed by RINewsToday staff, 2025.

All figures are approximate and subject to revision by reporting agencies.

Read more RINewsToday Reports examining data behind Rhode Island’s challenges — from housing to healthcare.

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