Send cash to Americans missing their SNAP food benefits
Update as of Nov. 3: 10,400+ SNAP families received payments today, and we’re sending funds daily – give now and your donation will be delivered ASAP.
Note: There is not an open application – instead, eligible families will be notified via the Propel app.
Send emergency cash to families at risk of hunger due to the U.S. government shutdown
1 in 8 Americans depend on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, to feed their families. Starting November 1, millions of families are missing their monthly SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown. More families will miss their monthly benefits each day this month with no clear restart date despite a recent court injunction.
Without this assistance, vulnerable families will face impossible choices – turning to already strained food banks, skipping meals, or running out of food entirely.
Your donation will go directly to the poorest families as soon as they miss a SNAP payment
Propel, an app used by millions of SNAP households to manage their benefits, and GiveDirectly have partnered to respond to this crisis. Together, we are quickly identifying the families most affected and sending funds directly to them—securely and immediately.
Propel’s data reveals the human toll of a SNAP delay:
- An estimated 4.1 million users missed their SNAP deposits on November 1, and that number will continue to grow daily. Half already had less than $10 remaining in their benefit accounts
- Many report they will need to skip meals or turn to food pantries if benefits don’t arrive on time
One parent told us: “It wouldn’t bother me if it was just me, but I have children that need to eat. It terrifies me that they might go hungry because of the shutdown.”
GiveDirectly & Propel are distributing one-time $50 cash transfers to households with children who receive the maximum SNAP allotment, a key indicator of extremely low income. Each day, we’re sending funds through the Propel app to families as they miss their expected SNAP deposits until this crisis ends.
Even a single day without food assistance can mean more stress and hunger for families. Your support ensures we can send fast, flexible cash to help fill the gap for families who have suddenly lost the assistance they depend on to survive.
Your donation uses a trusted model to reach those in need quickly and remotely
This approach works. When disasters struck in the past, GiveDirectly and Propel proved this model delivers results:
- After the Los Angeles wildfires and Hurricanes Helene and Milton, eligible users were notified and enrolled directly through the app.
- Families received relief payments within two days of enrolling.
That same speed and trust will allow us to help families keep food on the table in this moment of uncertainty.
Thanks to a $1 million commitment from Propel, we were able to start sending payments as soon as families miss their scheduled SNAP benefits on November 1.
With your support, we’ll keep sending emergency cash directly to the lowest income families across the country, delivering cash daily as they lose access to food benefits. The more we can raise, the more days we can cover families who missed their SNAP benefits.
Funded by
In the News
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply to receive funds?
No, you cannot apply to receive funds.
Eligible households will be notified via the Propel app when funds are available with an invitation to collect the funds. There is no way to enroll in this program outside of the app. We will not contact eligible families any other way. Please be aware of online, phone, and text scams claiming otherwise.
Never share your information outside the Propel app. Ignore any social media posts claiming to distribute these funds.
What is GiveDirectly?
We’re a nonprofit that lets you send money directly to the world’s poorest, no strings attached. In the last decade, we’ve delivered cash to over 1.6 million people across 15 countries and research the impacts it can have for families in need.
Propel and GiveDirectly are partnering to identify impacted low-income families and send cash directly to those in need.
Note: This response was entirely paid for by donors who give to this specific SNAP fund; general donations through GiveDirectly’s website go to our Africa cash for poverty relief work.
What is Propel?
Propel is a tech company that’s strengthening the social safety net for people who receive government benefits. Over 5 million Americans trust the free Propel app to check their EBT balance, save money, and get updates about their benefits.
Propel has partnered with renowned institutions and organizations like GoFundMe and GiveDirectly.
The company is backed by world-class investors like Andreessen Horowitz, NYCA Partners, Salesforce Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, JPMorganChase, Kevin Durant, and Serena Williams.
Who is eligible to receive money?
The lowest-income families who use the Propel app and miss their scheduled November SNAP payment are eligible to receive emergency funds through this program. Specifically, we are providing cash assistance to Propel users who regularly receive a maximum SNAP allotment for a household of 3 or greater. This represents about 20% of all Propel users. Because we do not require users to provide granular household information, this is our balanced approach to targeting families with clear high need while avoiding burdensome and difficult verification processes that would slow down payments.
How much will each family receive?
Each eligible family receive a one-time payment of $50 in emergency cash relief. This is less than what they would have received from SNAP monthly, and is meant to supplement as they await back-payment once the shutdown ends. They receive these funds through our payment partner GiveCard.
When will families receive my donation?
We began enrolling and distributing funds as soon as the first SNAP payments are missed on November 1. We are sending funds on the date each recipient would normally receive their food benefits to help fill the gap left by missed deposits. We will continue to enroll families and send cash as quickly as possible.
Not all families receive their food stamps on the first day of the month, so we will triage payments, releasing more funds with every further day benefits are missed.
What can the money be spent on?
The goal of this program is to help fill the gap for families who have lost food assistance benefits, in complement with efforts from community food banks and others. However, like with all GiveDirectly programs, recipients are free to spend this money however they think is best for themselves and their families.
What happens to my donation if SNAP benefits begin again?
We are distributing emergency funds to families in real time as they miss their November SNAP payment on a rolling basis. We will continue to do so as long as SNAP benefits remain stopped and we have funds to deliver.
What do you do with excess funds raised?
If for any reason we are unable to deliver all funds raised to families missing their SNAP food benefits, donations will be delivered to other low-income Americans in need.
Similarly, if a donor makes a recurring donation, any future payments made after the campaign closes will be allocated to other U.S. cash programs.
What if I’d like to make a major gift?
We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us at info@givedirectly.org.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes, donations are tax-deductible in the United States. We accept all major credit and debit cards, PayPal, checks, wires, stocks, cryptocurrencies, and more.
If you’re giving outside the U.S., you can still give to this campaign but your gift may not be tax-deductible.
Reach out to us at info@givedirectly.org with any questions or for more information on ways to give.