How one nonprofit kept over 236,000 families afloat when SNAP benefits disappeared [View all]

When benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were unavailable due to the recent government shutdown, a nonprofit called GiveDirectly stepped in to deliver cash payments to the families most in need.

Founded in 2008, GiveDirectly allows donors to send direct cash payments to people living in extreme poverty around the world through ongoing efforts.

The organization typically sets up emergency campaigns to respond to natural disasters, like hurricanes, wildfires, and the Texas Floods earlier this year. GiveDirectly quickly set up a new campaign when it became clear that the government shutdown would result in 42 million SNAP recipients missing out on their November payments. The U.S. director for GiveDirectly, Dustin Palmer, said this was the first time his organization adapted its model to a “man-made” disaster.

“We have this great playbook and we were able to adapt that to, essentially, what I call a man-made disaster in the pause of SNAP benefits, which were really devastating for our families nationwide” Palmer said. “About one in eight people use those benefits, they’re this critical plank of family safety net and home budget. And those paused and people were left without that support. So we were kind of able to adapt the model and support people with $50 payments.”




https://heartlandsignal.com/2025/11/26/how-one-nonprofit-kept-over-236000-families-afloat-when-snap-benefits-disappeared/