SNAP relief payments are complete, but you can still donate to low-income families
Give today so we can quickly send cash to Americans during the next emergency or natural disaster
GiveDirectly and Propel, an app used by millions of SNAP households to manage their benefits, partner to send emergency cash to Americans in need — most recently in response to the SNAP benefit delays.
- Together, we also sent cash to the most impacted low-income families after the Texas floods, L.A. wildfires, and Hurricanes Helene & Milton.
- We use poverty data and damage data during natural disasters to identify the families most affected.
- Eligible families are notified directly through Propel’s app, and can enroll in the app in ~60 seconds — avoiding the forms and paperwork required for many other forms of aid.
- Families are paid securely and immediately via virtual or physical card. SNAP families received cash within 2 days of enrolling to help food on the table during the government shutdown.
If you give on this page today, you’ll help us get cash out to families even faster when the next crisis arises, whether it be a health crisis, government shutdown, or natural disaster.
We’ve sent over $11m in emergency cash to 225,600+ of the lowest-income SNAP families nationwide as soon as they missed benefits
Thanks to the generosity of 4,600+ donors, over 225,600 low-income SNAP families have received $50 each quickly and securely, right when they needed it.
- With Propel’s data, we could see in real-time when SNAP families missed their expected benefit deposit date.
- We sent cash to tens of thousands of people every day starting on November 3 via virtual and physical cards.
- Families were free to use the money for whatever they needed, whether that was food, diapers, or other necessities.
Emergency cash helped moms like Selene feed their families
“I knew I wouldn’t be eating because all the food needed to go to the kids. By the last week of [October], we had very, very little. When we were told there would be no more funding, I lost it,” said Selene. “We’re all going through hard times, and after being homeless with four kids for two and a half years, we finally just got back into a place of our own.”
“I rely on food stamps to feed the kids while I work full-time. Do I pay the bills and keep a roof over our heads, or do I feed the kids? No one should have to make that decision. Food banks are empty. I didn’t pay some bills this month because the food stamps were gone—my kids had to eat. And I’m eating their scraps.“
Selene received her $50 payment quickly and remotely via virtual card. “Receiving the cash was a small weight lifted off my shoulders. I bought rice, canned goods, and noodles. I really appreciate how fast I got the money. Now I have food for at least a week. My kids are eating, and that’s all that matters to me.“
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Frequently Asked Questions
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 was eligible to receive money from the SNAP relief program?
The lowest-income families who used the Propel app and missed their scheduled November SNAP payment were eligible to receive emergency funds through this program. Specifically, we provided cash assistance to Propel users who regularly received a maximum SNAP allotment for a household of 3 or greater. This represented about 20% of all Propel users. Because we did not require users to provide granular household information, this was our balanced approach to targeting families with clear high need while avoiding burdensome and difficult verification processes that would slow down payments.
How much did each family from the SNAP relief program receive?
Each eligible family received a one-time payment of $50 in emergency cash relief. This was less than what they would have received from SNAP monthly, and was meant to supplement as they await back-payment once the shutdown ends. They received these funds through our payment partner GiveCard.
When did families from the SNAP relief program receive my donation?
We began enrolling and distributing funds as soon as the first SNAP payments were missed on November 1. We sent funds on the date each recipient would normally receive their food benefits to help fill the gap left by missed deposits.
Not all families received their food stamps on the first day of the month, so we triaged payments, releasing more funds with every further day benefits were missed.
What could the money from the SNAP relief program be spent on?
The goal of this program was 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 were free to spend this money however they think was best for themselves and their families.